Panaji: Ahead of National Games, state swimmers train in murky waters

PANAJI: The 36th National Games may be hardly five months away, but the state’s swimmers are searching for a clean pool to take a dip and get ready for the competition. With Campal swimming pool shut for refurbishment for the Games, over 50 swimmers from the state are left in the lurch as they don’t have the required infrastructure to train.Though they moved to the Peddem sports complex at Mapusa to train, a national-level swimmer said they dread at the thought of entering the murky waters of the pool.
“The quality of the water has deteriorated. When objections were made public, authorities attempted to clean, but unfortunately the pool has gone back to its old ways. There is hardly any visibility while swimming and I honestly fear that I may hurt myself,” said a top swimmer.
Having spent crores of rupees in developing infrastructure, the state government has been unable to provide swimmers with basic training facility.
“I will not want myself or any other of the young swimmers to get hurt (by training at Peddem). While emerging out of the pool, my body starts to itch. I must have a shower as soon as possible to avoid any rashes,” the swimmer said.
Sports Authority of Goa’s pool in-charge Anil Arolkar accepted there were “some issues” but denied claims that the water is contaminated.
“I get the water tested once in two months. I have a report to prove it,” he told TOI.
Another prominent swimmer said the pool was so murky that they could hardly see the lanes below. “I cannot swim in a straight direction. How will we perform at the Nationals if we don’t know our timings? My parents told me I was going wayward.”
Arolkar also agreed that there was an issue with visibility.
“It is because of backwash. Due to heavy usage, a lot of dirt and waste gets collected. The plant treats it and 90% is filtered out. What remains, takes eight days to clean up. This issue is prevalent during the summer,” he said.
On swimmers getting rashes and infection, Arolkar said, “Not a single swimmer has come to me and shown the medical report. I have 450 swimmers including Navy personnel who train here. It is just a (small) set of people who are complaining.”
The swimming pool at the Peddem sports complex was constructed in the early nineties, while the complex was renovated in 2013 ahead of the Lusofonia Games.
“There is a need for a new swimming pool here. The diving structure is dangerous and we have put up a board not to use it. With latest digital filtration technology available, we must upgrade,” said an official, who asked not to be named.