One of the most heartening aspects of the revamped Shivaji Park Gymkhana is the commitment of its office-bearers to giving a significant boost to women’s cricket. In a front-page report in this paper, the gymkhana’s top brass collectively stated that the club’s next chapter, which opens post-revamp, will have a special focus on women’s cricket.

By this, the club’s custodians did not simply mean playing cricket. What they intended—and have actually implemented—is the improvement of infrastructure for girls and women who come to this nursery of Indian cricket to play.

The club now features good changing rooms and washrooms for girls, a vital aspect of women’s sport that is sometimes overlooked or underestimated. Lack of adequate changing rooms or washroom facilities for girls can discourage them from continuing to play the sport they love. Without a proper place to change or relieve themselves, many girls may be forced to stop playing altogether, which in turn shrinks the talent pool.

This publication has previously highlighted the very poor changing facilities for girls, not just at Shivaji Park but also at other sporting locations. We have reported instances where girls had to change inside a van or transport that brought them to the sporting venue. Even today, many maidans across Mumbai lack access to toilets and have no changing rooms, challenges that are even more compounded for women.

Strengthening the sports ecosystem means addressing not only equipment and opportunities but also basics such as drinking water, clean rooms, and hygienic toilets for our athletes. Only then can we truly talk about becoming a sporting power.

There is little use in touting medals on podiums when the foundational facilities and support remain wanting and weak.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/women-athletes-deserve-a-strong-sports-ecosystem-23595502