A group of 18 young wrestlers from Odisha, who represented their state at a prestigious national championship, were subjected to an undignified and arduous journey, forced to travel sitting on the floor near train toilets for hours because their tickets were not confirmed by the authorities.
Journey of Discomfort and Disregard
The athletes, which included eight girls, participated in the 69th National School Games Wrestling Championship in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, from December 7 to 12. Their ordeal began on December 6 when they, along with four officials, boarded the Neelachal Express from Bhubaneswar to Ballia without confirmed reservations. The return journey on December 12 via the Nandankanan Express was no different, repeating the same distressing scenario.
Video clips from the journey, which sparked public anger, showed the young sportspersons sitting on their luggage in the cramped, unclean space near the train's toilet. To protect themselves from the cold during the long overnight travel, many were seen covering their heads.
Failed Efforts and Official Admission
An accompanying official stated that despite persistent efforts to get the tickets confirmed or secure seats by requesting the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE), they were unsuccessful. "After they failed to get seats, they travelled by sitting on the floor near the toilet," the official admitted. The situation only slightly improved hours into the journey when a plea to the TTE at Hijli in West Bengal managed to secure 10 seats for the group.
The athletes expressed deep disappointment and alleged gross mismanagement. One wrestler, choosing to remain anonymous, highlighted the impact on their performance, saying, "How can the authorities expect us to perform well when they can’t even ensure basic things? We had to travel in very undignified ways. The area near the toilet was stinking... We couldn’t concentrate on the games."
Departmental Response and Probe Ordered
Facing severe backlash, the Odisha School and Mass Education Department has called for a detailed report from the Director of Secondary Education concerning the alleged mismanagement. In an official statement, the department clarified that tickets for the 18 wrestlers and four teachers were booked in a 3-tier AC coach on November 20 for both legs of the journey.
The statement read, "Despite sincere efforts by the department, tickets could not be confirmed. In order to ensure that the young wrestlers were not deprived of participating in the national-level championship and to provide them an opportunity to showcase their talent, they were taken to Ballia." This explanation, however, has done little to quell the criticism over the handling of the travel arrangements for the state's young sporting talent.
