The Ministry of Sports has yet to renovate the athletics track of the Félix Sánchez Olympic Center, leaving the country’s top athletes exposed to multiple injuries and having to travel long distances to train at tracks in the provinces. Nuria Investigación Periodística reports that the dire conditions at the track have turned track and field athletes into extreme sport athletes.
Athletes of the stature of Olympic track medalist Marileidy Paulino have had to risk getting injured when practicing in these conditions.
In a TV and online report, Nuria Piera of Nuria Investigacion Periodistica reveals that the poor conditions are not only at the track itself but also in the stadium gymnasium and the bathrooms in use for the athletes.
Diario Libre reports that Nuria Piera sought to interview top athletes, but these refused to speak on the record, concerned the sports authorities would retaliate against them for denouncing the poor conditions of these facilities.
The athletes who spoke asking not to be named said that after almost three years in the position, Sports Minister Francisco Camacho can only show he has lit up the facilities, and repaired the water pumps.
The president of the National Athletics Federation, Gerardo Suero, blames the Ministry of Sports for not habilitating the Olympic Village at the Las Americas highway that has been closed for more than two years, while the athletes have to stay in the athletics track in inhumane conditions or pay for rent when they can barely afford the rent.
The dire conditions are attributed to the years long practice of the Ministry of Sports lending out the stadium for events removed from sports.
The Ministry of Sports says it has disbursed RD$45 million to the Federation of Athletics and these have not used the funds to improve the conditions of the athletes at the Olympic Center.
Top track and field athletes have constantly complained about the hardship conditions they need to endure despite millions the government spends for sports in the country.
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Nuria Piera
Nuria Piera Investigacion
N Digital
31 January 2023