They have good changing rooms and washrooms for girls in the club.
The structure at the iconic nursery of Indian cricket
One of the most heartening aspects of the revamped Shivaji Park Gymkhana is that its office-bearers are committed to giving a significant boost to women’s cricket. In a front-page report in this paper, the gymkhana’s top brass collectively stated that the club’s next chapter, which opens post-revamp, will have a special focus on women’s cricket.
By this club, custodians did not simply mean playing cricket. What they meant and have actually done is improvised infrastructure for girls and women who arrive at the nursery of Indian cricket to play. They have good changing rooms and washrooms for girls in the club.
This is such a vital aspect of women’s sport, it is sometimes overlooked or not enough importance is given to this aspect. No changing rooms or not enough or no washroom facilities for girls means that girls may stop playing the sport altogether. If there is no place where they can change or go to relieve themselves, then some girls may be forced to stop playing the sport they love, and in that way, the talent pool shrinks.
This edit space has highlighted very poor changing facilities for girls, not just at this venue but other sporting locations. We have published reports where girls have had to change in a van/transport which brought them to the sporting location. Even now, there are many Maidans in Mumbai where toilets are scarce to none and changing rooms are non-existent. This is compounded for women.
When we strengthen the sports ecosystem, which means not just equipment or opportunities but basics like drinking water, clean rooms and toilets for our athletes, then we can talk about becoming a sporting power. It is no use touting medals on podiums when the base is so wanting and weak. Doff a hat to maidans who recognise challenges for women athletes and are actually doing something to alleviate these.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
