Istog has been hosting the Sport Gymnth for 15 years: Jobs Not Seen the End

Promises that the city of Istog will have a gym began 14 years ago. “Determination” of the works on this gym has mostly been enjoyed by Istogas athletes, who inaugurated it by victory. But problems within this gym are not being seen as the end, strong winds in Istog have damaged some parts of the gym, which have not yet fully sat down.

The absence of such a gym has always been a challenge for Istog athletes, left out work in half, and technical problems are failing to develop sports properly within it. According to handball club coach Faruk Shala sportsmen of Istog need the gym to be fully operational, the problems that are and to finalise the work inside.

Faruk Shala, coach of women's handball club ( KHF-Istog)

“Istogas athletes have been waiting 14-15 years for the construction of this gym; we've sacrificed a lot for this day, access to this gym is in that form, where a group of people who declare it, whether they care about a gym or not, they never see anything positive, some other part make politics with it, and some bureaucratic procedures of administrations influence the delay of the gym's <x0, Shala added.

Works on this gym have received high marks from the European Handball Federation (EHF) naming it the best in the region, but the basketball club coach Fikret Shatri, who stresses that this is the worst gym ever worked after the war.

Developing exercise without a gym is like living without a home. We don't use the gym, because it's not over yet, even though there are promises that this season will find in the hall, but we can't use it to this day! ”, Shatri said.

Procrastination of the completion of this gym's work is being argued that previous construction companies have been irresponsible. Another reason now is the situation created by COVID-19 that has pushed the work back into the gym. According to the Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Istog, Drin Sadiki gym has not yet been completed and that it is only currently exploited by KHF Istog.

For as long as I'm on duty as director, the reason we've encountered a non-responsible company where that company is the sanction, then until it's done re-information, then the operators' complaints to the final response to the winner's announcement. After signing the contract with the new company, and after the start of the work, the pandemic appeared in Covid-19 where the work was postponed, the company has not worked almost three months. Because of this time, we have been pushed and completed. ”, Sadiki said.

The absence of gyms every time has been difficult for sportsmen like those of handball in Istog, the development of exercises has been where they had the opportunity. They have also been forced to travel to other towns for exercise. KHF's team member in Istog, Alberia Halitaj, points out that she is pleased that they will finally have a gym because gym training and playing adds confidence to her.

Alberia Halitaj, member of the KHF-Istog club.

“For us as a handball club, it has been very difficult to develop exercises and games without a gym. The absence of gyms every time has been the biggest drawback, given the fact that every match, even when we were local, we played them as guests”, Halitaj added.

In the year 2004 Women's handball club is established, Istog. About a year later, construction began in Istog. Despite all the gym shortcomings, however, nothing has stopped this club from being champion of Kosovo. /Albina Selmanaj