Last year, mid-day had reported how U-17 girls had to change in their school bus; organisers of the U-17 Subroto Cup football tournament refuse to learn from their mistakes
Members of the Jamnabai Narsee team walk back to their school bus after the final yesterday. Pic/Nimesh Dave
Organisers of the U-17 Subroto Cup football tournament — the District Sports Office (DSO) — refuse to learn from their mistakes. Last year, mid-day had reported how the absence of a changing room had forced some of the U-17 girls to change in their school bus.
Members of the Jamnabai Narsee team walk back to their school bus after the final yesterday. Pic/Nimesh Dave
However, this year, history repeated itself at the St Francis D'Asisisi ground (Borivli) when the girls from Dhirubhai Ambani International (BKC) and Jamnabai Narsee contested the U-17 final.
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Without a changing room for players once again, the girls from either team were forced to go back home in their wet clothes after the final was played in heavy rain.
"Unlike boys, we cannot change our clothes in public. We have no option but to return to school in these dirty and wet clothes and change there. A clean washroom and a changing room is a must for a girls tournament," fumed a player.
Meanwhile, Ambani striker Nikita Kapur scored the game's only goal as the BKC school won the zonal final 1-0.
DSO's Mumbai surburb head Sanjay Mahadik assured things would change next year. "I was not aware of this problem girls face.
Today, I just dropped in to see the final and got a reality check. I will ensure that at least a temporary changing room is provided to the girls," he said.
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