Smooth conduct of Asian Track Cycling Championships at mercy of weather Gods

Since it did not rain much on Saturday, the events were held without any problem though the wooden tracks of the velodrome had to be dried up by the stadium staff and some cyclists themselves after a brief spell of rain on Friday. The velodrome, which is certified as top level by world cycling body (UCI), is hosting the Asian Track Cycling Championships -- both senior and junior -- and the Para track event from Saturday till next Wednesday.

This is not the first instance of such a leakage. Just 10 days before the start of Asian Track Cycling Championship in January 2017, the wooden tracks of the same velodrome were damaged due to leakage from the roof after heavy downpour lashed the national capital.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Saturday blamed the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) for the rainwater leakage on Friday. SAI Executive Director (Stadia) Shiv Sharma said that the government cannot spend money on this again as it is the responsibility of the CPWD to fix the problem as they have given a 15-year warranty.

"The CPWD has a 15-year warranty for the stadium as they were given the contracts to build the stadium during the 2010 Delhi CWG. Such leaks have happened in the past also and we have repeatedly written to them on this issue, the latest being this month," he said.

"But they have been saying that they have raised the issue with the contractor who built the roof of the velodrome and they are not responsible." The run-up to the championships was marred by a controversy when a junior woman cyclist had levelled allegations of "inappropriate behaviour" against chief coach RK Sharma during a foreign exposure tour of Slovenia. The coach was sacked in a prompt action by the SAI but the incident left the