Yesterday, this edit space highlighted the importance of rewarding our medal winners from the Tokyo Olympics. The focus was really on all the politicians and leaders who have promised cash awards to our athletes. The cash must be given, grand pronouncements must not be made for two minutes of fame, and then, convenient amnesia takes over. That was the thrust of the editorial on Monday.

Today we want to highlight even as there is plenty of discussion about the road ahead, that our grassroots sports infrastructure must be much better and more robust. This paper has exposed several times the slipshod facilities at school level sports. We have seen girls changing in vans and buses because of a lack of facilities, there have been reports of no medical access, not even a proper first aid kit at certain venues. This paper had also done an extensive report on the sorry state of spectator stands at a South Mumbai sports ground. For years now, there are spaces in the stands which can seriously injure spectators and in spite of numerous reports, pictures and warnings, it has been a huge problem for years.