To pick ‘blue-eyed’ Sports Associations do not inform players in time

*Recognized Associations mar talent; unrecognized befool athletes

Rajesh Dhar

JAMMU, Jan 21: Government of Jammu and Kashmir which, one gets a feeling, is striving hard to carve a space in the field of sports at the National and International scenes, needs to come down heavily on fake and illegal Sports Associations to produce genuine, justified and real talent, which, in turn will serve a twin purpose of competing with the athletes having good name and fame at the higher levels and avoid nipping talent at the bud.
It has been observed that most of the Sports Associations in the State either mar talent or befool budding sportspersons for their vested interests
It has also been observed that most of the Sports Associations which are affiliated to the elitist Sports Body of the State, the Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council pick the teams/players of their choices to represent the State at the National level, thus giving rise to quota, favouritism and even nepotism-rather blue-eyed are picked and the real talent is nipped before it sprouts.
According to the reliable sources, a good number of Sports Associations, with a purpose of selecting ‘blue-eyed’, friends and favourites, do not inform the players in time for the selection trials, to them in the lurch.
Sources further said that the Associations with malafied intentions, rather than informing the players well in time, inform them either on the day of trials or a day before, through newspapers or any other medium, to bruise their psyche and avoid their participation, helping the Associations’ cause to pick the favourites.
Sources said the recognized Sports Associations in the State, have their Central Secretariats either in Srinagar or in Jammu, adding that most of these Associations select the State teams predominantly on the regional bias, thus murdering the real talent.
“Hockey J&K never bothers to inform us for the selection trials to pick the State teams. The hockey body always justifies its stand by saying that we are beginners and do not deserve to be part of the selection trials,” said Kashmir based female hockey players for being ignored by Hockey J&K.
Same is the case with Jammu based sportspersons, who cry foul in selection policy of various sports disciplines, having dominance in the other region, not with regard to the potential of the players, but with regard to the political health of the office bearers of the Associations.
Sources close to the Sports Council reveal that the office bearers of the most ill structured Sports Associations select a big number of players from their own areas, helping non sportspersons to achieve sports category certificates, thus debarring real sportspersons from their meritorious rights.
The Council sources further reveal that the office bearers of some Associations are more concerned to help their favourites to achieve sports category certificates, than making the State teams to win at the higher levels.
“The fictitious distribution of Sports Category Certificates has been observed more than once. It has also been observed that nepotism is involved in providing jobs to non sportspersons. Let the fraud happen is the ‘buzz word’ among the office bearers of the Associations,” revealed a senior member of the Sports Council on the condition of anonymity.
“The custodians of illegal Sports Associations befool the budding sportspersons by making them participate in fictitious and unrecognized tournaments. They pool money from the players, select the teams from particular schools and make them play abroad and claim that the school has represented the country at the International level,” said Sports Authority of India (SAI) coach while expressing anonymity.
The disciplines like Mastogi-Do, Hapkido, 7-a-side Cricket, Kurash, Underarm Cricket, Silambam etc, despite being  unrecognized make State teams to represent at the higher levels, simply befooling the budding sportspersons and wasting their precious time. Making new Associations everyday and picking players has become a custom in Jammu and Kashmir.
Some Associations while finding it tough to get recognition and affiliation from concerned Federations, have taken a new route of affiliating themselves with the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), which is not a costlier affair.
With such a system in practice, expecting Jammu and Kashmir establish its place on the Country’s Sports Map is simply like flogging a dead horse.
“We are trying to tighten the noose of those Sports Associations, who befool the players and play with their careers. We will soon notify the revised list of recognized Associations. We also advise the parents and the players to check with the Sports Council Office about the activities of a particular Association before sending their wards to them,” said Standing Committee member of the Sports Council.
He further said that the last Standing Committee of the Sports Council chaired by the  Minister for Sports Imran Raza Ansari also considered initiating criminal proceedings through District Magistrates (who are now chairpersons of District Sports Councils), to punish these fraudulent Associations.
When contacted and asked about the autocratic way of dealing things by the Associations, Minister for Sports, Moulvi Imran Raza Ansari said that it is a wrong practice adopted by the Sports Associations and the Sports Ministry will serve strict instructions to all the recognized Associations with regard to informing the players well in time to make better teams, adding that the Ministry will convene a meeting soon and make a revised list of recognized Associations and take a strict action against unrecognized Associations for holding illegal activities.
He further said that the Government is committed to promote sports in nooks and corners of the State, adding that whosoever hampers the cause of sports will be taken to task.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here