Odisha government signs agreement with SFI to develop swimming ecosystem

BHUBANESWAR: The state sports and youth services department on Saturday signed an agreement with the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) to develop, promote and expand the swimming ecosystem in the state.
According to the agreement, Odisha government will support and sponsor SFI while the federation in association with the Odisha State Swimming Association (OSSA) will provide their technical expertise. The partnership will be valid for one year extendable to five years, under mutually agreed terms, said an official source.
State sports secretary R Vineel Krishna and secretary general of the SFI Monal Chokshi signed the agreement on the side lines of the ongoing hockey Men’s Junior World Cup 2021 at the Kalinga Stadium.
The partnership, over the next five years, will be towards the holistic development of the sport from grassroot to elite, including conduct of competition of national and international repute and conducting training programmes for the trainers in Odisha.
“Swimming has a lot of potential to grow, and many young swimmers are showing great prospect at the national level. We are happy to be associated with SFI for development of swimming ecosystem in the state,” said the sports secretary.
The federation will assist in developing all forms of aquatic sports in the state and help to produce elite swimmers, said Krishna.
While the Biju Patnaik Swimming Pool Complex at Kalinga Stadium is one of the finest swimming infrastructures in the country, the state government is also strengthening the grassroot swimming training centres in different places.
“Our high-performance partnership with JSW Sports and this association with SFI will give an added impetus to the sport of Swimming,” said the sports secretary.
Speaking on the partnership, SFI secretary general termed the partnership as an important milestone to take aquatic sport in the country to uncharted heights.
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