Games People Play

The Asian Games in Doha are in full swing, but there seems to be no excitement about it the TV channels or newspapers in India.

Had it been cricket, everyone would have gone beserk, but the Asian Games only gets a passing reference in the news. Its an insult to those wonderful atheletes who are sweating it out there representing their respective countries. The performance of India in the games so far has been average. Only 2 golds so far do not justify the sporting talent that is available in the country. Unfortunately no leader in the country is interested in making India a sporting powerhouse, unlike China who has put in place various training schools where atheletes are trained under the watchful eyes of expert coaches and provided with every facility to convert them into world beaters.

The results of the Chinese model is there for everyone to see. But in India though money is allocated for sports development, there is simply no accountability. Most of the sporting associations are more busy playing politics amongst themselves while the atheletes suffer. Most of the atheletes apart from cricketers and a few other sports persons do not get any kind of grants or money or sponsarships from corporates to get better equipment, hire better coaches or improve facitities.

Corporate India also must share some of this blame. While they will be willing to shell out billions for sponsaring cricket or getting a medicore tennis player like Sania Mirza in their TV Ads, they will not sponsar sports people from fields like hockey, track and field, weight lifting, boxing etc.

While India may be on track to becoming an economic powerhouse, why isn’t the same energy and effort being put into making India a sporting powerhouse. Most parents will not encourage their kids to take up any sports professionally except cricket, tennis, golf and a few others. I will not blame the parents because they have the best interest of their wards in mind when they discourage them from taking any sports professionally.

Most sports people in India barring the lucky few live in poverty and die in poverty. Once in a while the government wakes up and hands them over an award with some cash prize, but thats about it. After that these people go back into oblivion.

Its a pity that sports in India is that neglected, but unfortunately its the dark side of India Shining.

Rgds,

Devkant.