PT Usha alleges harassment and hooliganism at her academy, seeks help from Kerala CM

Legendary athlete and Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on Saturday, February 4 alleged encroachment and hooliganism at her academy, the Usha School of Athletics, in Balussery, Kerala and urged Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to help put an end to continuing trouble.

The Usha School of Athletics, which offers training in athletics to thousands of athletes from across the country, was established in 2002 in a bid to help produce Olympic medal winners in India. PT Usha, addressing a press conference in New Delhi, said the acts of encroachment and hooliganism increased ever since she was nominated as the Member of Parliament of Rajya Sabha last year.

Usha, who broke down while addressing the press in the capital, said she is concerned about the safety of female athletes at her academy. The former Olympian said they had tried to build a fence around the academy in the past but they have not been able to do so due to financial constraints.

Usha's allegations came after the IOA president claimed that a few people recently barged into the academy and began construction work. The encroachers were removed from the academy after an official complaint was lodged at the local police station.

"Some people barged into the compound of Usha School of Athletics and began construction work. When



management confronted them, they misbehaved. They claimed that they had permission from Panangad panchayat, we complained to the police, and work was stopped," she said.

Usha claimed that drug addicts and couples wander into the academy and even waste is dumped at the 30-acre complex in Balussery.

"People including drug addicts, couples barge into the compound at night and few dump waste into the drainage. We are being targeted continuously. We need to make sure of the safety of our girls. We request Kerala CM interfere and resolve this issue," she added.

"Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) has given the land on lease. So I have been trying to get all the stakeholders on board to ensure the safety of the girls over there.

"I expect all the stakeholders, including KSIDC and the chief minister to intervene and ensure that this kind of encroachment into the athletics school is stopped once and for all. There has always been some kind of a problem and it has increased in recent times," she added.

Only recently, PT Usha was elected as the president of the Indian Olympic Association. The Asian Games gold medalist, who missed an Olympic medal at the 1984 Games by a whisker, has helped produce Olympians, including Tintu Luka and Jisna Mathew, via her academy.