Gold in SA Games

We are heartened to witness the victorious performance of two Bangladeshi sportswomen who have clinched gold in weightlifting and swimming in the South Asian (SA) Games. On many counts, it is a momentous occasion. This is for the first time that a Bangladeshi female weightlifter has made it to the top in a sporting meet. The gold in women's swimming is also unique, for no Bangladeshi has ever won a gold medal in the SA Games before. We congratulate both the sportswomen for making the nation proud.  

This remarkable feat has come at a time when more and more women are participating in competitive sport despite a lack of space for them. Sport grounds are encroached upon in the big cities, and sporting events for women have remained infrequent. In fact, the sorry state for women's participation in sport starts at school where lack of a proper ground forces girls to abandon sports or to concentrate on indoor events. Even scarcer are sports facilities easily accessible to women, because of which girls often tend to shy away from participating in outdoor games. 

It is the indomitable spirit of some female sportspersons that have earned the country a string of laudable performances in the past. But because of our dilapidated sports infrastructure, they have failed to make occasional victory into routine. It is time to build more sports facilities where more sportswomen will be able to hone their skills. Also, schools should encourage girls to participate in outdoor sporting events.