Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Rizwan Ahmed Khan, an international wheelchair cricketer from Madhya Pradesh, is struggling to get access to a sports wheelchair since the past two years. He is currently living in the Mastanshah Colony of Chhatarpur, and has completely lost touch with the sport resultant of the unavailability of a sports wheelchair.
29-years-old Rizwan is a disabled person, but also a noted cricket player who has managed to bring pride to his country in the past despite several adversities. He has represented Wheelchair Cricket India (WCI) - the Indian wheelchair cricket team - in a number of national and international matches abroad. He has exhibited his extraordinary valour in the game many a time, and has even managed to surprise the best of the sport critics in the past. However, since the last 2 years, he has lost his skill because of the unavailability of a sports wheelchair to practice cricket.
Rizwan says that so far, he has approached 3 district collectors including Mohit Bundas, Sheelendra Singh, and present collector Sandeep JR about 8 times. But till date, neither have the collectors read his application properly, nor talked to him about the matter. "When I spoke to Sandeep JR, he said that at present he has no information about this matter, nor does he have any such application. He ensured that as soon as he gets any update, he will get in touch. But he has not reverted yet," Rizwan said.
While talking about the protocols, he said that although BCCI had given him a sports wheel chair, he could not use it for practicing. He clarified that it is the responsibility of the district collectors to provide the disabled sports players with the suitable appliances, but the collectors in Chhatarpur have never paid heed to the matter.
Rizwan's father Javed Iqbal works as a cyclist and Rizwan himself takes care of his family doing some computer work that helps him earn just enough to fill his family's stomach. In such a situation, it is impossible for him or his family to afford a sports wheelchair that would cost him at least Rs 25,000 to 1 lakh.
He says that he feels the most alive when he is playing cricket and that he desperately wishes to get back on field. Despite having a proven mettle in the sport, it is simply unfortunate that he is being deprived of all the opportunities he deserves only due to apathy of authorities concerned.
