UP: Kabaddi players served food inside toilet in Saharanpur, sports officer suspended

The Sports Officer for Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district was suspended on Tuesday after players participating in a state-level kabaddi event were seen being served food inside a toilet.

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh):Sports Officer for Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district was suspended by the administration on Tuesday after a video emerged from Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Stadium in the district wherein players participating in a state-level kabaddi tournament were seen being served food inside a toilet.

In the video, the players are seen picking food from containers kept on the toilet floor, with urinals seen in the background. The food is learnt to have been prepared for a total of 300 players hailing from 17 divisions of Uttar Pradesh. As the video circulated on social media, Sports Officer Animesh Saxena was suspended by the state government.

Reacting to the incident, Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anurag Thakur said that he has ordered an inquiry into the issue. "I have directed that strict action be taken against the accused contractor and officers.

I have also directed that the contractor be blacklisted from future events as well. This is a standing instruction for everywhere that such incidents should not happen," Thakur said. "We have also given instructions to the UP sports department to take a strict decision in this matter against the accused," he added.

Meanwhile, Congress also tweeted the video, taking to task the state government over the incident and alleging unfair treatment of sportspersons. "Kabaddi-playing daughters of UP were served food in the toilet. The BJP government, which has spent crores on false propaganda, does not have the money to make good arrangements for our sportspersons. Shameful!" the party's tweet read.