CONDITIONS OF SPORTS IN INDIA

The conditions of sports has not underwent any major changes from the past .This is because
governments lack of commitment and efforts
Of course, we have our heroes in Geet Sethi, Vishwanathan Anand, Vijay Amritraj, Leander Paes,
Sania Mirza, Pankaj Advani and Sachin Tendulkar but they are few and far between. For a
country as huge as ours, it is imperative that there is talent lying hidden in some remote corner of
the country.

Why can’t we produce badminton players like the Indonesians and table tennis players like the
Chinese? Let us take an objective look into the reasons for such a dismal state of sports in our
country.

Lack of grassroots and junior level training programs:

Did you know that in Russia, coaches scout for swimming talent among three years old? Or for
that matter gymnasts who are barely able to speak well. Why do they do it?

Monica Sales, the famous tennis player started playing the game at the age of three. Her
coaches had recognised her talent early. These are like uncut diamond, waiting for proper
guidance, grooming.
Whether it is basketball in USA or football in the UK, there are good training programs at the
grassroots level. The competition even at the lowest level is very high and there are national
selectors taking proper interest in identifying these traces of brilliance. And once selected, the
government takes care of the financial and educational needs. This way the player is able to
concentrate totally on his practice without having to worry about these trivial matters.

Such things are unheard of in our country. If there is any good football player in a remote corner
of our country, chances of him making a mark for himself are distant. No wonder Indian parents
lay total stress on education and do not encourage their wards to take up any sports seriously.

Poor facilities compared to world standards are another factor affecting our sports. We have all
watched the World Cup Football for the last one month supporting Brazil and Argentina. And I
hope that there will be many soccer lovers who would have marveled at the stadiums and the
playing field in those parts of the World. Take any sports for that matter. Even our revered sport
cricket. We have hardly three or four stadiums in this cricket mad country which can be compared
with stadiums of the genre of a Melbourne or Lords.

Poor management of sporting bodies under the government is not hidden from anyone. It is very
often said that if you are a Mumbaikar, then you have much better chance of getting into the
Indian cricket team than if you are from Himachal Pradesh. When such an atmosphere prevails, it
is very natural for players to get disheartened and leave the game. Take the case of our Indian
Hockey Federation. We have read enough about the selection procedures of this esteemed body
as players were picked and dropped as if we are making a random choice. Ask Dhanraj Pillai how
it is to be a hockey player at the international level. The officials at CAB are more interested in
their re-election than working for the betterment of the Bengal cricket.

Take the case of Koneru Humphy. She is the world junior champion in chess and also making
waves in the sporting circuit. However such is the condition of sports in our country, two months
back she did not have sponsors to help her in going to England for a chess tournament. It really
hurts to see that other sportsperson in our country do not get the same amount of recognition as
our cricketers not only from the common man but also from the authorities.

Our sports also suffer from lack of proper and disciplined guidance. Our players are not getting
the proper kind of coaching facilities even at the highest level. To be a world class athlete, one
needs proper goal oriented coaching with the best facilities and also appropriate food and body
requirements. To be at the top, we need to have proper physical conditioning which will come
through a balance of diet and exercise in a scientific manner. And most of all a very professional
outlook as regards everything in this matter. It is because of this professionalism that a country
like Australia is able to become a world leader in all kinds of sports, be it cricket, hockey and now
even football. That same thing needs to replicated in our country