Times of India: At SAI, ice bath in a plastic tank

By Biju Babu Cyriac

BENGALURU: Sportspersons in the country are often criticised for not performing at the highest level but little is written about the poor facilities provided to them even at high profile national camps.

The plight of hockey players at the national camp at the Sports Authority of India – where they are forced to use a broken plastic water tank for an ice bath – is a case in point.

“It is a pathetic sight to see 6-8 players climb into a broken tank kept outside the team hostel for an ice bath after a training session,” one of the sportspersons who witnessed the ‘therapy’ told TOI.

“The proper way for an ice bath is to have small tubs indoors with one or two players getting into it for 10-15 minutes. It’s not only unhygienic to have so many people inside one tub, it also reduces the effect of an ice bath,” a sports medicine expert said. ” The officials pointed out that SAI had recently announced plans to install an indoor ice-bath facility at the centre. “But it still continues to be at the planning level. Until then the players will have to depend on the plastic tank,” they added.