COMMON WEALTH GAMES, POLITICS AND PERFORMANCE : THE PLIGHT OF INDIAN SPORTS -Prof. K Nageshwar

July 29, 2010 4:38 pm
Sports
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Current Affairs of India

Close on the heels of the Common Wealth games Suresh Kalmadi and Manishanker Iyer are at logger heads. Thanks to murky IPL, Indian Cricket administration is seen by the cricket lovers across the country with suspicion and anguish. As the players raised the banner of virtual revolt, Indian hockey establishment was under the scanner. These controversies have damaged the reputation of Indian sports. The Asian Games three decades ago, the Afro-Asian Games and other extravagant sporting events have left behind elitist infrastructure which the administration find it difficult even to maintain. Now the Common Wealth Games may be yet an another demonstration of pomp and show. But the substance remains the same. India still lacks far behind in the world of sports. The time has come to talk about many things to make India a front line sporting nation.

Issues related to politics and economics often concern the nation. Failure to effectively project national interests in an international forum or inadequate export performance form political issues for national agenda or parliamentary debate. Unfortunately, the sports performance hardly from part of such an agenda so that the policies can be altered. If at all there is any debate on sports, it is confined to discussion on grants to the sports ministry or event oriented discussion.

Indian sports administrators lay more emphasis on extravagant activities and the publicity that such things being to them rather than showing any interest in upgrading the sporting talent. Tournaments and contests with a great fan-fare often take a front seat. Even for corporate bodies entering into this have a craze for publicity-blitz contests for obvious reasons. The corporate participation is driven by advertising interests than sincere commitment to enhance the standards of Indian sports. Some major corporate organizations and celebrities conducted Cricket tournaments which attracted world-wide attention. It is not to denigrate their effort but it remains a fact that the contribution of this industrial groups to either Cricket or chess or for that matter any other sport was negligible.

Politicians are after appointed to head the sports bodies. This creates an unhealthy situation. Politics also play a role in the selection of players for all events at different levels. The conflict between two politicians for the post of the chairman of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has even spilled into court rooms defaming the India sport.

With the political culture permeating sports, identification of talent is often played by parochial considerations rather than independent judgment. Consolidation and retaining of power in sports bodies assumes paramount importance rather than the development of sports in this situation. Favoritism, nepotism, regionalism and such partisan considerations disillusion genuine and talented sports persons.

Apart from the drawbacks at the policy level, several aspects of prevailing sports culture in India are also hindering the progress of Indian sport to effect a qualitative change in the performance.

Physical education and sports are yet to become an integral part of modern child’s life, despite several pronouncements that physical education will be a mandatory part of syllabi in Indian educational instructions. Several practical considerations are also preventing such an enforcement. The NCERT sample survey revealed that about 60 to 70 per cent schools in the country do not have proper play grounds. This percentage will increase in the future due to mushrooming of private educational institutions.

Thus sports are being separated from modern child’s life. There is also a tendency to consider sports and studies as mutually exclusive. Such a feeling is strongly evident among middle class parents who aspire high academic achievement rates for their children. Instances of few sports persons neglecting their studies is reinforcing this tendency. The feeling that the participation in sports costs their education that to be dispelled.

The archaic social values have turned out to be a major impediment in the development of sports especially among girl childs. Parents would feel proud to send their daughters to a bharata natyam class. But they would hesitate and even prevent their daughters from practicing gymnastics or Volley ball coaching. Most of the outdoor games are considered as an exclusive privilege of males only. Girls, sitting in their her drawing rooms and watching on the small screen Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza or William sisters playing may dream of becoming one such celebrity. But the social value system forbids them to emulate these sports personalities. This masculine outlook towards sports is proving to be catastrophic for the development of sportswomen.

Sports in present day India seem to be urban based. It should not be forgotten that people who brought glory to India, right from hockey wizard Dhyanchand to flying Sikh Milkha Singh to sprint queen P T Usha and some other like Limba Ram, Lalchand Meena, Malleswari etc are from rural or tribal areas. Programmes must be designed so as to fan out and scout for talent in every nook and corner of India and nurture it.

Due to gladiatorial approach, sports sector is plagued by lack of adequate financial resources. Even these meager resources are eaten away by extravaganza and for training people for international contests where India mostly comes a cropper. None can deny the importance of such a training. But, it remains a fact that no nation can create islands of quality. It is the mass accessibility and participating that would produce highly talented players.

The sports policy should, therefore, emphasis on encouraging such a mass participation. When small countries like Bulgaria and Rumania can do well, why can’t a gigantic nation like India do the same is a question which policy planners must address themselves to. The stories of Arjuna or Ekalavya or the tradition of Yoga constitute examples of sports ethos of India.

Poverty is the foremost reason for lack of sport talent in India. Even children born into middle classes suffer from malnutrition. By the time they reach state or national level despite so many odds, they are incapable of competing at international level since most of the sports are physically exerting and the physical constitution of our sport persons is not able to withstand that for longer durations. This is because at the growing stage lack of proper diet had made them physically underdeveloped. Thus in spite of inherent talent and natural skills we are losing out at international level. For example, India consecutively won gold medals in hockey in Olympics of 50s and 60s. But with the changed format emphasis had to be more on physical play rather than artistic stick work. The result is all too evident now.

Earlier, newspaper hawkers and milk vendors were used to be seen on the roads in the early hours of the day. Now, boys and girls are seen hurrying up to their tuition classes which goes on for hours together. In such a situation, even if one is interested, he or she can not spend considerable time in playing games and sports. Parents and college managements do not spare even their vacations in the name of special classes or revision classes. These developments are stifling individual initiative and costing dearer to Indian sports.

There is an argument that universalisation or mass accessibility to sports can not be achieved in a developing country like India due to resource constraint. It is certainly true. But it is also true that such a goal can not be wished away. Therefore the need is to make parallel efforts for universalisation of sports on one side and identification and nurturing of special talent should continue simultaneously.

Many lucrative incentives are being offered to top sports persons. But, such incentives are not there at middle and lower level, baring few preferences here and there in jobs or educational institutions.

Yet another factor drawing youth from sports is that of education becoming a merely job seeking exercise leaving virtually no time for any other extra-curricular activities. Sports culture in India is not so well developed as in West where people watch hours on end their favourite sports glued to their television sets. When the viewership is so high naturally the corporate sector will not be found wanting to sponsor the events or even employing sport persons to endorse their products, in which case sports as a career will be highly rewarding. Unfortunately such a situation does not exist in India.

India sport also suffered a lot due to lack of killer instinct in players. Many a times it has been observed that Indian players have lost from seemingly winning positions. More over Indian sports persons feel satisfied once they reach the national level. That all consuming urge or passion to be at the top of the world is rarely seen among them.

Another facet of contemporary sports culture is the increasing spectator attitude rather than a desire to play. The television boom is also partly contributing to this trend. The interest in sports is also being killed due to absence of proper play grounds. With the growth in urbanization, there is a real estate boom. As a result open spaces and play grounds have became scarce commodities. There is a legislation protecting the open spaces in the West. Though India too has legislative protection as usual it fails in implementation.

There is a potential which is not being exploited. Unless, there is an impressive performance, sports will not became a priority sector. Indian sport is stewing in its own juice. Only a healthy sports culture can bail out the country from this situation.

Such a task can not be fulfilled by only government. The corporate participation in sports is marginal. In an era of economic liberalization the corporate sector should actively involve in the development of sports.

Apart from this, several policy initiatives are also vital for bringing glory to Indian sports. They include elimination of bureaucracy, corruption, bringing professionalism in sports administration, encouraging mass accessibility to sports, physical education should be made compulsory. Legal protection should be given to open spaces and playgrounds against possible encroachment. Identification and development of talent should be continuous and unending process. A comprehensive sports policy should replace the present fire-fighting exercise approach.