One of the most heartening aspects of the revamped Shivaji Park Gymkhana is the commitment of its office-bearers to giving a significant boost to women’s cricket. In a front-page report in this paper, the gymkhana’s top brass collectively stated that the club’s next chapter, which opens post-revamp, will have a special focus on women’s cricket.
By this, the club’s custodians did not simply mean playing cricket. What they intended—and have actually implemented—is improved infrastructure for girls and women who arrive at the nursery of Indian cricket to play. The club now features good changing rooms and washrooms specifically for girls.
This is such a vital aspect of women’s sport, yet it is sometimes overlooked or not given enough importance. Lack of proper changing rooms or insufficient washroom facilities for girls can cause many to stop playing the sport altogether. If there is no place where they can change or attend to basic needs, some girls may be forced to quit the sport they love. Consequently, the talent pool shrinks.
Our editorial space has previously highlighted the very poor changing facilities for girls, not just at this venue but at other sporting locations as well. We have published reports where girls have had to change inside the van or transport that brought them to the sporting location. Even today, many maidans in Mumbai lack adequate toilets and have no changing rooms—a situation that is even more challenging for women.
Strengthening the sports ecosystem means addressing not just equipment and opportunities but also the basics: drinking water, clean rooms, and toilets for our athletes. Only then can we truly talk about becoming a sporting power. It is no use touting medals on podiums when the foundation remains so wanting and weak.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/women-athletes-deserve-a-strong-sports-ecosystem-23595502