Rajesh Dhar
JAMMU, Dec 16: For good health of sports and games in the State and for helping the young players to compete with the players of the States flourishing in the sports field, the State of Jammu and Kashmir needs to stop sponsoring teams just for the sake of participation in the National level events, rather needs to prioritize games on merit and make Associations answerable, besides utilizing the services of outstanding sportspersons properly.
It has been observed that the elitist Sports Organizations of the State namely Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council and the Department of Youth Services and Sports are randomly sponsoring State teams for participating in the National level events, without any measuring rod.
According to reliable sources, Sports Council sponsors around 40 State teams in a calendar year to represent Jammu and Kashmir at the National scene and the Department of Youth Services and Sports also sponsors around 40 teams every year to represent J&K in National School Games, held under the banner of School Games Federation of India (SGFI).
However, what dismays one is the fact that the custom of measuring the teams on their performance, hardly exists in J&K. No one bothers as to what the State has done in a particular sports discipline.
“How can you expect a good show from any sports discipline, the office bearers of which are hardly accountable or answerable to the Administrators for their performance. Moreover, the performance of the State teams can only be enhanced by assigning the jobs of coaching and training to experts. For that matter, the dire need is to properly utilize the services of outstanding sportspersons, who have been appointed under SRO 349/98 specially for promoting sports in the State,” expressed Dr Swaran Singh Chib, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Reasi.
What is shocking is that the services of these outstanding sportspersons are not utilized properly in J&K. Otherwise, the State Government recruits good number of sportspersons almost every year with an aim to give fillip to sports and games in the State.
“What is the fun to appoint an outstanding sportsperson without making his experience and expertise to count,” said a SAI coach.
At the time, when the State of Jammu and Kashmir is striving hard to carve a space on the Country’s sports map, the people at the helm of affairs need to be focused and committed and harness their energy to promote games on merit.
Jammu and Kashmir has a good potential in some sports disciplines and such games need to be prioritized to help the State win more and more medals at the National and International scene. Wushu, Gymnastics, Boxing, Martial Arts, Judo, Fencing, Cricket and Tennis Ball Cricket are a few disciplines to name.
By prioritizing these games and utilizing the services of experts properly in the State, time is not far away to see J&K blossoming at the National scene. Otherwise, it has been observed that those games are promoted which either or not recognized or have hardly won any medal at the higher levels.
While talking to EXCELSIOR, Minister for Sports, Molvi Imran Raza Ansari said that the medal winning sports disciplines will be given special attention and the medal winners will be motivated and encouraged by cash awards and rewards.
He said the Government has framed such a Sports Policy which will certainly lure youngsters to take sports as their career, besides helping Jammu and Kashmir to produce international stuff.
The Minister further said that the Sports Policy in offing will be implemented within two months.
“The State which was having just one sports icon in Parvez Rasool earlier, can boast of having a galaxy of sports icons at present. Bhanu Pratap Singh, Chain Singh, Tajamul Islam and Hashim are a few to name. The ‘mantra’ to flourish is to promote quality rather than quantity,” Mr Ansari added.
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