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KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Sports Mohammed Bux Khan Mahar shared on Monday that action has been taken against those responsible for the mattress controversy during the 17th Annual Sindh Games.
The annual provincial games, which were held from April 19 to April 22, garnered negative publicity after a video of poor quality mattresses being used at the event when viral. An athlete participating in high jump almost fell to the ground due to the poor conditions of mattresses, which were placed there for his safety. This was despite the fact that a budget of over Rs40million was allotted for the sporting event.
The sports minister, while speaking on Geo News programme Geo Pakistan, shared that the mattresses were provided by the National Coaching Centre, adding that action has been taken against the centre for providing low-quality mattresses and some sports department officials are also being investigated over the matter.
He shared that the federal government made the arrangements for the event, not provincial government. “We have learned a lot from the event,” Mahar added.
“To overcome such issues in the future, we are making an athletic track in Hyderabad,” Mahar said.
On the sporting event, he shared that it was a platform for the youth to showcase their talent.
Mahar remarked that he firmly believes in women empowerment and his department has taken efforts to ensure female participation in sports.
For this purpose, we have even made a woman gymnasium at Khatoon-e-Pakistan Government Degree College For Women. “The gymnasium has been made for the safety of women and it is fully operational.”
When questioned about the Benazirabad hockey ground where artificial blue turf was installed a month ago without the installation of sprinklers, he responded that issue has now been resolved.