U-17 players unable to use facilities at Azad Maidan as Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) official had taken the changing room keys home
The ladies washroom at MSSA ground Azad Maidan is locked leaving girls in a fix. Pics/Suresh Karkera
Almost a month after inaugurating a new changing room for players at Azad Maidan, MSSA ended up red-faced on match day yesterday. Female players from Bombay Scottish and Sitaram Mill Compound Public School were left in the lurch as the ladies washroom and the new changing room facility were locked.
Interestingly, mid-day had recently reported that MSSA had introduced a new air-conditioned changing room for its participants this season onwards, loaded with bunker beds, washrooms and a television set too.
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Girls use the staff washroom before a match
Irresponsible official
However, only after mid-day intervened did MSSA open the new facility, around 2:30pm. MSSA staffer Ram Ahiwale said he did not realise that he also had the option of offering the participants of the DSO district level inter-school girls' U-17 Subroto Mukherjee Cup access to the new changing room. "From this year, MSSA has also appointed a lady attendant near the ladies washroom for security purpose. Today, the ladies washroom was locked because one of our staffers yesterday accidentally took home the key. And, it didn't strike me that I could've opened the changing rooms for the girls," Ahiwale said.
Sumit Patil, the DSO official organising the tournament, said that he had given a letter to MSSA requesting them to keep the ladies washroom open for at least two days (July 17-18) when the girls matches were scheduled.
Officials open the girls changing room at 2.30pm
Anil Gaganmalle, coach of Sitaram Mill Compound Public School (Lower Parel) said his girls were waiting for a long time outside the locked washroom before they were told to use the staff washroom. "Whenever the girls are involved, a separate washroom and changing room is a must. It's a matter of safety. As coaches, we need to be careful as we are responsible for the girls. Despite having a ladies washroom, these girls had to use the staff washroom, which is wrong," said Gaganmalle, whose team lost to Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 0-4 in the quarter-finals. Denise Pereira scored three goals, while Janvi Mehta scored one for the Mahim outfit.
'It's a shame'
Bombay Scottish coach Gulafsha Ansari said it is a shame that MSSA officials waited for over three hours before opening the changing room. "A changing room and toilets for girls are a must. The girls cannot change clothes outside like the boys do. And since our girls had another match at 4pm, they needed a place to rest. We cannot ask them to rest outside especially during the rains. I'm thankful to mid-day who intervened and got MSSA to open the room. It's a nice facility," Ansari said. Meanwhile, in another girls match, Convent of Jesus and Mary (Colaba) blanked JB Petit 5-0. Simone Todankar and Mariya Cementwala scored a brace each while, Suruchi Mistry added the fifth goal.
Also Read: Mumbai: MSSA gives separate dressing rooms for girls at Azad Maidan this year
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