Coach without a field, facilities without coaches: Gujarat University’s sports mess

As Gujarat pushes to host the Olympics in Ahmedabad, Gujarat University — the state’s oldest institution of learning — seems to have dropped the ball on campus sports.

The state government has made clear its intent to bring global sporting events to Gujarat. Earlier this year, Ahmedabad’s proposed Olympic bid was pitched as a symbol of rising sports infrastructure and ambition across the region.

Yet, for many students at Gujarat University, that promise feels distant. Basic issues like missing facilities, vacant posts, and administrative lapses suggest that investments at the grassroots level may not be keeping pace with high-level ambitions.

The university has employed a full-time hockey coach for 22 years, despite having no hockey field. During tournaments, organisers place temporary goalposts on the synthetic athletic track to simulate a field.

Facilities without coaches

The university’s large sports complex boasts facilities for tennis, badminton, swimming, and chess. But none of these sports have appointed trainers.

Meanwhile, the post of director of sports has been vacant for five years, with a senior cybersecurity professor handling the additional charge.

The master’s programme in physical education has seen no permanent teaching staff in over two decades, relying entirely on external faculty members.

Confusion over intercollege tournament

A recent intercollege tournament held on July 30–31, featuring swimming and chess, exposed lapses in coordination. Students were reportedly asked to submit their own names after departments failed to send nominations.

A selection committee meeting was called on the morning of the tournament, but reportedly took place without several department heads. One said they had not been informed. In many departments, the event circular was never even posted.

The disconnect between Gujarat’s Olympic ambitions and its leading university’s sports planning is hard to ignore. For students training without coaches, competing without guidance, and entering tournaments without notice — the system is already failing them.