No medal shining

India’s sportspersons lack infrastructure, training facilities, corporate sponsorships and media support

Akash Bisht Delhi

Venue: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. Time: 6:15 pm, Sunday. Twenty-year-old Vellu, member of the national pole vault team, struts, jogs and races down before leaping into the air to cross the bar lifted to the height 4.05 metres. The result is the same as in his previous four attempts. He fails to cross it. The outcome is the same for his teammates. While the world record for the pole vault stands at 6.14 metres, these boys find it difficult to cross even four metres. When enquired why he is unable to cross the barrier Vellu has a tale of woes. “Do you expect me to leap 10 metres with these decade-old vaulting poles? And what is the point in grumbling about them when we do not even have proper drinking water in the stadium.”

This scene in India’s premium sports stadium is replayed across the country. The story is predictable and explains India’s world status in sports: lack of infrastructure, proper training processes, competent sports officials, world class coaches, corporate sponsorships and media exposure.

“The most infuriating question that is very often asked by us in international events is why a country with a population of one billion is not able to win medals at international events?" informs Arjuna awardee Sriram, head coach, track-and-field events. The athletes who gather for practice every afternoon are certain that India is not in the running for medals for many years to come. Arjuna awardee Limbaram, pointed to the lack of drinking water and adequate nutrients and supplements. Echoing this complaint was Dheeraj Dagar, national weightlifter, “We are endowed with supplements only before any major sporting event while for rest of the year we are left to fend for ourselves.” Not all can afford the supplements. Sports Authority of India (SAI) was sending sports persons to international forums only to cut a sorry figure.

“There is no drinking water in the stadium and no one cares about it. We have told the coaches and officers but no one seems to help us. We fight for water every day, forget about nutrition and supplements that should be provided to athletes to enhance their stamina,” complains Limbaram. The girls’ judo team was equally sure of not bagging any medals. They complained of the lack of changing rooms, lockers, coaches and dues towards scholarship money.

The archery team pointed to outdated equipments, lack of international exposure and recognition. Satyadev Prasad said, “Quality can only get better if we have more quantity. Government should encourage more youth to join sports.” Jatyant Talukdar, who won the World Archery championship recently, was completely blanked out by the media and his accomplishment did not feature anywhere. “It hurts a player when he is not noticed by the media while his counterparts in other sports (cricket, shooting) are getting publicity for silly reasons,” grumbles Prasad.

Nehru Stadium is in disrepair. The gym contains only broken equipments. The men’s toilet in the stadium complex was locked, while others did not appear to have been cleaned for weeks. The contrast with facilities offered to international cricket players is sharp. “How can you expect babus and bureaucrats to understand what sport is. I am sure no official in SAI would have ever participated in any kind of sport,” rues a coach.

In 1992 there were 1,500 coaches and one director while today there are 1,200 coaches and numerous directors and secretaries. “Bureaucracy has crippled Sports Authority of India and now IAS and IPS officers are heading organisations which should have been taken care of by some renowned sportspersons,” says another coach.  Frustrated by bureaucratic tangles SAI has not been able to come out as a dynamic sports organisation. “Why are coaches sacked when we don’t perform in international games? The government should sack bureaucrats as well because they are the ones who decide on most of the matters,” says the coach.

SAI has been surrounded by controversies since its inception and the latest in the list is the pitiable quality of food that is being served in Nehru stadium’s canteen. The quality of food served in the canteen is unappetising and unhygienic. “There has been no change in the food quality and it won’t change in near future too because no one cares about us,” complains Vellu. India’s premier stadium that will host the Commonwealth Games in 2010 reflects the feeble state of Indian sports and unveils a list of specifics that contribute to repetitive fiascos in the international arena.

“What everyone needs to understand is, how many people out of this mammoth population are interested in any sport except cricket?” adds Sriram. The lack of sports culture and interest has created a dearth of sportspersons and there are very few who want to pursue it as a career. Most of the parents want their children to take sports for physical fitness and not as a career. “My son is a little overweight and I wanted him to join some gym but my neighbour informed me about these gymnastics classes at SAI, so I got him here. I don’t want him to be a gymnast, it’s just for his fitness. I want him to be a doctor,” says Manju Sharma, a home-maker.

China, Cuba and other countries, which are equally economically placed, have handled this question differently and are thus able to produce world class athletes. First of all children go to school where talent is spotted. Young persons with potential are identified and sent to special training schools where they are offered all the support they need for being groomed into international sports ambassadors in prestigious events. Residential facilities, scholarships, training programmes, competition with peers of equal talent, all improve standards. In India, Kerala has been sending athletes of international standing. This would not have been possible without the focus given by the state to education, sports included, at a general level.

“There should be different training schools for sports persons and their academic curriculum should be different from other institutions so that they can concentrate more on sports. We need to improve our infrastructure at grassroots level and give best available facilities—nutritionists, doctors, psychologists and financial support—to our athletes so that they can bring glory to India,” concludes Sriram.

The government, media and people should encourage sports so that after every four years millions of hopes are not dashed and promises are not left undelivered. The usual hue and cry that follow these failures and endless questions that are left unanswered make most of us believe that these post mortems would take us nowhere in competitive sports. Whatever improvements are made by India on the sports field are not enough because the world is not standing still.