Introduction
The national level canoeist, aged 15, who was killed while practicing at a regular meet in Rohtak district of Haryana, has left the sport of canoeing in a state of shock.The sport of canoeing in Haryana is in a state of shock after the death of a 15-year-old national level canoeist during a routine training session in Rohtak district. The young athlete, who was only recently qualified for the next set of national championships, drowned during government-funded training at a sport nursery. Her family, other athletes, coaches and sports officials are in a state of shock.
Unfortunately, the accident has thrown into sharp focus the need to ensure safety at sports training centres, particularly with regards to water sports. Efforts are underway to investigate the accident, but there is a question of whether training had taken place at a location with enough emergency rescue gear and medical readiness.
The passing of a promising sports personality is not only a heart-wrenching experience for her family but also a great blow for the state of Haryana, which is known for its sporting prowess, producing national and international level sportsmen.
Tragic Incident During Evening Practice
The incident was at Karontha village in Rohtak district where there is a government recognised canoeing training centre, part of the Khel Nursery Scheme in Haryana. Maya Dhankar is a national level canoeist young athlete who had been training there for almost a year under the supervision of the experienced coaches.
As is so often the case with training days, Maya arrived at the practice venue in the evening, and was set free to go to her canoeing class. She was able to pass her canoe test and then chose to take a dip in the village pond and get fit.
The pond is about 150 metres long and 100 metres wide and has been used for canoeing and swimming practice by local athletes for a long time.
Sadly, Maya was reportedly struggling while swimming in the deeper area of the pond.
She immediately sounded the alarm, notifying the other trainees and nearby residents.
She couldn’t be saved in a rescue attempt.
When people could be heard shouting for help, other trainees and local villagers rushed into the water and saved her.
Although they tried their best, Maya had already swallowed a lot of water before they could safely remove her.
On arrival, she was immediately shifted to Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Rohtak, where doctors announced her demise.
It came as a surprise to everyone that gathered at the practice facility to see the young athlete suddenly die.
After the autopsy, her remains were given to her sad family.
A Rising Sports Star
Maya Dhankar was considered as one of the bright young canoeing talent of Haryana.
She was a young girl from the age of 15 years she had already made her mark in the national arena as she qualified for the next national canoeing competitions.
Her family and coaches alike were fond of Maya for her work ethic, discipline and love for sports.
She had been training her swimming and canoeing abilities for months with the aspiration of being a representative of the state of Haryana and later India in bigger competitions.
Her fellow trainees said that she was determined, optimistic and focused.
Her sudden death has come to a close what many people thought was a promising sporting career.
This is the training under Khel Nursery Scheme of Haryana.
The training centre where the accident happened is affiliated with the Khel Nursery Scheme of Government of Haryana, which aims to discover and develop young sports players.
The nursery is said to be run by a qualified coach and international medalist, who can offer opportunities for local children to learn canoeing and swimming skills near home.
The scheme has enabled many athletes to access top level coaching without having to move to more populous centres.
The tragedy has brought into question, however, whether adequate safety is provided at these facilities at all times.
Questions are now being raised about:
Access to trained lifeguards.
Emergency rescue equipment
Medical emergency response
Measures taken during open water training
Keeping children supervised while they are in the water.
Questions about Water Safety
Canoeing of course involves water training, but experts say that all training sessions should have the full range of safety measures in place.
Water-based sports require:
Staff trained as lifeguards who are on duty
Rescue boats
When necessary, use life jackets.
First-aid facilities
CPR-trained staff
Emergency transportation arrangements
Even the most proficient swimmers can encounter unexpected challenges, ranging from fatigue, cramps, unexpected medical emergencies, or waters that are too deep, sports safety experts say.
The heart-wrenching event has raised the question of whether such measures are applied in every sport nursery.
Investigation Underway
The local police have launched an investigation into Maya’s death.
Officials are reviewing:
Training schedules
Supervision during practice
Rescue response timeline
Safety precautions in pond
The post mortem examination will also help to understand the actual cause of death.
Investigators reportedly are looking into all circumstances before arriving at any conclusions, according to some media reports.
Police will be releasing a comprehensive report once the investigation is finished.
Family Left Devastated
The loss is beyond words for Maya’s family.
Throughout their lives, they had been cheerleaders for her sports goals, and she had trained in canoeing professionally in her youth.
According to her parents, she had the ability to be a successful national and international competitor.
The family is not celebrating about victories in the future, but is grieving the loss of a daughter of their dreams who died too early.
There was a significant number of family, friends and neighbours at the home of the family after the event who were there to express their condolences and support in what was an unimaginable time.
Shock Across Haryana’s Sports Community
This tragedy has had a significant impact on athletes, coaches, sports administrators, as well as local residents.
Haryana is well known as one of the top sporting states of the country, with its athletes earning medals in the Olympics, picking up wrestling, boxing, shooting, hockey, and many other gold medals in the National Games.
Many in the sport have been urging tougher legislation after the death of a young athlete while training.
There are a number of coaches who feel all sports nurseries should have regular inspections of their premises to guarantee that sports are trained in secure settings.
The significance of Water Safety in sports is crucial.Water safety in sports is of paramount importance.
Among the water sports canoeing is one of the fastest growing ones in India.
Athletes should have:
Excellent swimming ability
Physical endurance
Technical canoe handling
Water awareness
Emergency survival skills
Even though the athletes are trained swimmers, they can still have accidents when the necessary safety systems are missing.
Each open water session should involve:
Dedicated Lifeguards
Professional lifeguards should constantly monitor athletes throughout practice.
Rescue Equipment
Rescue tubes, flotation devices, rescue boats and emergency ropes should be immediately available to the crew.
Medical Support
The necessary medical care must be available at all training locations.
Emergency Drills
Coaches and athletes get ready for emergencies with regular rescue simulations.
Government May Review Safety Protocols
After the incident, sporting authorities are expected to review, on-going, the existing safety guidelines for the government-supported sport nurseries.
Suggestions for improvement may be:
Certified lifeguards must be used on all beaches.All beaches must use certified lifeguards.
Additional safety equipment to be installed.
Periodic safety audits
Better training of coaches in emergency response.
Improved monitoring in swimming practice.
Improved medical preparedness
Such measures, if used properly, may be effective at minimizing the likelihood of future tragedies.
A Reminder That The Athlete is First.
The government of India has heavily invested in nurturing young sporting talents with various schemes.
But, strong safety infrastructure is always necessary in conjunction with athlete development.
Even the most intense training, preparation for competition, or performance objectives should not be at the expense of minimum safety standards.
Parents place their trust in sports academies to look after their children, and protecting the athlete is a key responsibility for any sports academy.
Conclusion
Haryana’s sporting community has been mourning the demise of Maya Dhankar, 15, a National-level canoe racer, who passed away in a tragic accident in the state. Maya was a talented athlete with a bright future and died in a regular practice session at Rohtak’s government sponsored training camp. Her death has raised concerns about water safety, emergency preparedness and supervision of sports nurseries throughout the state.
As investigations proceed, many hope this devastating event will result in improved safety for young players in the future. The tragedy of Maya’s family can never be reversed, but there is hope for future generations of sports talent, if meaningful reforms are made to make training environments competitive, while also remaining as safe as possible.