The aggrieved trainees, who belong to various districts, stopped attending their training sessions at Kalinga Stadium Aquatic Centre, the home of the OJSHPC, and declined to take their dinner. They also alleged that the quality of food served at the centre was substandard. They took these extreme steps as the Sports Department did not pay heed to their complaints earlier.

Surprisingly, both the two coaches, the OJSHPC authorities and the JSW Group, the Indian multinational conglomerate that manages the HPC, have remained silent on the issue so far. However, the shocking incidents have not only come as a setback for the growing reputation of swimming in Odisha, but also has raised many questions about the functioning of corporate-funded HPCs in the State.

ALLEGATIONS OF SPORTS HOSTEL TRAINEES:
*     The HPC coaches were not giving due attention for the development of the hostel trainees.
*     They told trainees to learn on their own.
*     HPC head coach Sandeep Sejwal and Bhubaneswar grassroots centre coach Sumit Kumar Sahoo were scolding and beating the hostel trainees regularly.
*     The coaches threatened to expel the trainees from the hostel if they complained before the Sports Department authorities.
*     The coaches were sparing more time to train local swimmers by taking money.
*     The Aquatic Centre was serving substandard food to the trainees.
*     When they complained, the Centre warden taunted them saying, they didn’t have the standard to deserve good food and they were coming to the Centre as they had no food at their homes.
*     The incumbent Sports Director (Deepankar Mohapatra) did not take any step when striking trainees gave him a written complaint against the coaches.
*     The previous Director (Siddhartha Das) was taking prompt action and even warned Sandeep Sejwal.
*     Sejwal told the students that the new Director would not take any action against the coaches as he was their man.

QUESTIONS ON THE ROLE OF SPORTS DEPARTMENT AND HPC:
*     Why did Sports Director Deepankar Mohapatra not take any action when striking trainees gave him a written complaint five days before they made it public?
*     How come the Sports Department suspended the services of Sandeep Sejwal, who was not their employee?
*     Why did the Department not take any action against Coach Sumit Sahoo and the Centre warden (Name not yet known)?
*     When the Sports Department has provision to provide food to hostel inmates in all disciplines, why were the swimming trainees made to take food at the Aquatic Centre?
*     Why is the HPC not having any information-sharing platform on its facilities, programmes, trainees, coaches, support staff and achievements?
*     Why has the Sports Department not filled up the post of a swimming coach for Bhubaneswar Sports Hostel?
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PICS: File pictures of OJSHPC head coach Sandeep Sejwal (Top) and coach Sumit Kumar Sahoo.