After the Delhi High Court’s decision to withdraw recognition of India’s all 57 National Sports Federations (NSFs) and sacking of NIS Patiala’s executive director for allegedly flouting quarantine norms, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has been authorised to bring Indian sports back on track. But with the SAI not having as many rights that are with the sports federations, the entire developments have put India’s Olympic preparations for qualifying events in jeopardy.
Sports in India are facing a strange situation after the ban on sports associations and its fate is now being decided by people who have no idea about it. Sources say Sports Minister Kiran Rijiju is deeply hurt by the current situation. At the same time when he took charge he had said that the government was not running sports in the country and the National Sports Federation and IOA will have to fulfil their responsibility. He had also said that sports policymaking was not the work of the court but of the government.
Meanwhile, the camp was to be set up at National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala but after it was found that three boxers were flouting quarantine norms, the Punjab government placed a condition of 14-day quarantine for all the players and support staff. These players are quarantined at SAI hostels outside NIS. Their samples have been taken for the Covid test. SAI has also set an inquiry on this matter. The entire incident has put the Olympic preparations of 15 boxers to a complete halt.
Meanwhile, Amit Panghal (Asian Games gold medallist and silver medallist of World Championship), Vikas Krishan (Commonwealth Games champion) and Simranjit Kaur (Bronze medallist of World Championship) have reached the camp. Olympicbound boxer Lalina Borgohain will not be able to attend the national camp on time as Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s government has imposed strict restrictions in the state. If Covid tests of players in the national camp come negative, then there should be a quarantine of not more than three to four days so that their preparations are not affected.
Not only boxing but badminton players are also facing the brunt of the pandemic. Badminton, wrestling and swimming camps are yet to start. The Badminton Association of India did not get permission from the Telangana government to organise a camp in Hyderabad. Everyone knows that Gopichand Academy is perfect for a national camp and Hyderabad has emerged as a nursery of Indian badminton. Kidambi Srikanth (former world number one shuttler) is practising in his home town in Guntur (270 km from Hyderabad). Most of players have been dependent on online training. However, it is possible that a camp can start at the Prakash Padukone Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Swimmers are so upset that they see their careers ending. Recently, India’s star swimmer Virdhawal Khade said that if the swimming pools were not open, then he could consider retirement. Eminent coach Nihar Amin appealed for the government’s intervention into the matter. It is worth mentioning that six Indian swimmers have achieved “B qualifying level” of the Olympics while swimmers including Khade, Sajan Prakash and Srihari Nataraj have the ability to achieve “A level”. Serious about putting the situation back on track, the SAI has taken up the task of organising the camp. But without the support of the federation, its work is getting affected.
Wrestling is under the contact sports category. SAI has given a directive to the wrestlers to use dummy during the practice. If the opinion has to be taken from the experts, such a childish decision would not have to be made as dummies are used by the trainees who are beginners. An international level player can get the right practice with a partner only under the supervision of a coach. In addition, travel restrictions too are a major challenge before players who are coming from other states. Currently, they have to make their own arrangements for their train or air fares and lodging. All these do not come under the jurisdiction of SAI.