Are rural athletes cattle? Facilities at CM’s Cup belies vision of Revanth Reddy to make Telangana a sporting powerhouse

The state-level finals of the 2^nd CM’s Cup were launched in a grandiose manner at the Gachibowli Stadium on Friday evening. Around 21,500 athletes qualified for the state-level finals and are in Hyderabad for the finale.

The officials are over the moon over the response generated for the CM’s Cup, a whopping 5,15,936 registrations from across Telangana. The state government had released Rs 38.5 crore for the conduct of the CM’s Cup, which is being managed by the Sports Authority of Telangana (SAT).

G.O.Rt. No.391 of 2nd Edition of CM Cup 2025

However, the facilities provided for the athletes, especially at the LB Stadium in Hyderabad where the SAT office is located, is pathetic. In this era where the facilities for sports and sportspersons have improved drastically, it was shocking to see the accommodation and food provided for the athletes, who have travelled from remote parts of the state. The pictures taken on Thursday tell their own story of official negligence.

Athletes who had arrived from rural areas for the CM’s Cup waiting at the LB Stadium as they were not sure of the facilities for them 

Budget for CM’s Cup is meant for athletes

The budget for the CM’s Cup is, obviously, meant to be spent on the athletes but one wonders if the officials are really spending the amount on the athletes or is it being siphoned off by the unseen hands in the department.  In 1985, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi said that a rupee released by the central government is reduced to just 15 paise by the time it reaches the beneficiaries. This means that 85 paise is being siphoned off by vested interests. Are we seeing a similar situation in the conduct of the CM’s Cup?

To nurture future sports talent, the government allocated the budget for the tournaments, but this money is not visible on the ground. Athletes, who are mostly teenagers, coming from different districts for the CM Cup are neither getting proper food nor comfortable accommodation.

The situation is so bad that they are being served dal-rice and are made to sleep on mattresses put on the floor. Neither bedsheets nor pillows have been provided for them. The question arises: where are these crores of rupees being spent?

It is well-known about Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s passion for sports, and he is leaving no stone unturned to encourage youth, especially in sports. Being a sportsperson himself during his student days, his goal is to make Telangana a state known for sports and sportspersons.

Even basic facilities are not being provided for the athletes at the LB Stadium

The Chief Minister has always encouraged sports and athletes in some way or the other. He has made it a point to reward outstanding athletes with land and cash prizes. But the facilities being provided for the athletes for the CM’s Cup, will definitely shock even Revanth Reddy, if he gets to see them.

How can talent be nurtured in such a manner?

The CM Cup is being organized on a large scale with the intention of nurturing the hidden sporting talent in rural Telangana. The Chief Minister’s objective is clear but the responsibility of conducting the CM Cup lies with SAT. Is SAT letting down the CM? The sports authority is facing severe criticism in the manner it is has organized the CM’s Cup, especially the finals.

These young athletes are expected to bring glory for Telangana by showcasing their talent at the national and international levels, but with the kind of facilities being provided for them one wonders if the objective will be realized. The conditions for the athletes are quite deplorable. Whether it’s a lack of coordination or the authorities’ negligence, the athletes are bearing the brunt of it.

Plight of girl athletes is deplorable

Athletes, who are participating in 44 different sporting events, have been facing inconveniences and hardships from day one. They are being deprived of even basic amenities. The facilities provided are nominal and substandard. The situation is such that the accommodation provided to athletes at the coaching centers in LB Stadium is limited to only mattresses. Even though only one toilet is being provided for 30 players, some of them are locked under the pretext that the athletes are from rural areas and will spoil the toilets. Imagine the plight of the girl athletes? How can the girls manage in such a situation where privacy has gone for a toss?

How can the athletes compete if they are not given proper diet?

The meals served are simple lentils and rice. Some players reportedly are not liking the food at all and were forced to wander around the LB Stadium area for food. Some were also seen arranging their own meals. As the Ramzan season of fasting has commenced, Muslim players are not being provided with food during Sehri and Iftar. To add insult to injury, the players don’t even know whom to contact and register their grievance. They have been literally dumped in the rooms at the LB stadium as cattle.

Players, whom this correspondent spoke to, also expressed strong displeasure over the accommodation and other facilities. The facilities appear to be below the required standard, raising questions about how the budget for the CM’s Cup is being spent. What is the point of this budget when players are not even being provided with basic amenities? Parents of the players are also shocked at the facilities being given to the players.

Why were no hotels booked for athletes?

One wonders why the officials did not book hotels near the LB stadium. Was it budgetary constraints or sheer callousness towards the rural athletes? Don’t these rural athletes deserve better facilities than the ones being provided for them?

It is also learnt that many players were not provided with sports uniforms as they were not delivered before the inauguration. Aren’t the officials aware of the schedule and shouldn’t they have made the arrangements well in advance?

When contacted, officials stated that everything is going well and there were no shortages but the ground reality is something very different.

Why is the government conducting a sports meet on such a large scale if it doesn’t have the money to provide basic facilities for the athletes? Will the CM’s Cup be of any benefit for the athletes or the state? 

The district-level players participating in the CM Cup are in the 15 to 20 years age group and if they are discouraged by the facilities provided for them how on earth can they be the future of the state? Can these discouraged young players be motivated to pursue a career in sports and bring glory for Telangana?

Will the officials wake up and provide better facilities for the athletes at least now or will the CM’s vision go down the drain?