It was a day that will
be remembered by Indians
for a very long time. The national hockey team wins a bronze, a medal after 41
years. And later in the day the country won silver in wrestling. It was a good
day. The country was rejoicing no doubt. The winners of the medals come from
certain states. That aspect of this performance could make any aware Goan ask
the obvious question as to what is happening with sports in the state. Let’s
not talk about football or cricket or hockey. Let focus on athletics,
badminton, table tennis and other sports, in which the performance of the
country has been very encouraging. This was the state which hosted the
Lusifonia games and built sporting infrastructure for it. It was felt this
would give a massive boost to the sporting ambitions of its athletes. Then the
National games were scheduled to be held in the state. And then it was
postponed indefinitely. Why is Goa not contributing to the national pool so to
speak? Why does it keep squandering the talent of its athletes?
Gurudatta Bhakta, Secretary of Goa Olympic
Association was blunt when asked when the National games would be held. He said
“I have no idea when. Now election time is around the corner and no one will
listen.” Speaking about the sporting infrastructure in the state he said one
had to only look at the wooden flooring at Pedem which was in a mess. He said
the need of the hour was for the people at the top to move out. Everyone was
outdated in their thinking and it was time for young blood to come in. He cited
the example of the table tennis federation where the same faces were in place
for thirty odd years. Association in Goa, he said, did nothing but crib. The
government would also have to change its attitude. The government, he said
“Gives Rs 2000-3000 to an association with which they had to run all their
activities. If a 15 day camp is organized, they will give Rs 150 a day. If
there is a 3 month residential camp, they will release Rs 300 per day for
athletes who have to manage food and accommodation. With this, they expect
athletes to win medals.” He in fact was just getting started. He said there
were no audits conducted for tournaments attended and the corresponding result.
Gurudatta said “The coaches will say the player has great talent
and will win a medal the next time. I can show you reports. Equipment is not
available. When God decides we will get it.” He suggested that the best players
from each discipline ought to be selected and trained for ten years. They ought
to be audited continuously for improvements. Promise them a job because with a
job they would not be able to function without stress. This would help improve
the standard of performances in the state. It was also important he said for
everyone in the system to have fire in their belly, be it the administrators
and importantly the athletes.
Elvis Gomes was part of the team that was involved in the
organization of the Lusofonia Games. Now a politician he is still very
interested in the sporting endeavours of young Goans. A straight talker said
“Goa is a time pass state and sport is not an exception. Now all they are doing
is going from place to place to felicitate athletes, that is fine but they are
doing nothing to produce athletes. I have said this time and again; there is no
investment in anybody. There is no scouting and if people are found with some
merit, then there is no roadmap for any athlete in Goa. Any promising start
loses its vigour midway. We cannot complain because we just don’t take these
steps. We don’t invest in people not only in terms of money but also by way of
infrastructure, coaching or guidance. A system is not present. Here money is
only spent on officials, the minister concerned. Lot of money is doled out to
the politically connected people. How do you expect promising sportsmen to come
up”. This he said was the reason why several athletes had just given up the
sport because there was a limit to which they could bear the cost involved. He
asked why Haryana and Punjab were producing sportsmen and not Goa. He said self
introspection was required by the government and the machinery as to what was
going wrong when it came to sports promotion and development. The answers were
very easy and it was not complicated. Grants he said were not released on time.
Clubs that were involved were not assisted. Mentorship was not being done,
sports he said could not be done alone by the government but others had to be
utilised. He said it was natural for people to play sports but unless there was
encouragement nothing would happen.
Speaking about the sporting infrastructure in the state, he said
the government was drying them out like a bombil fish.
From the other side of the field so to speak, Sandeep Heble
Secretary of Goa Badminton Association said the problem of players leaving the
state and going out to practice was due to the absence of an academy. He said
“We have asked the government for an academy. In Goa apart from football no
sport has a residential academy. Look at Karnataka; they gave land to the
associations. They build shops on the ground floor to cover costs and training
happens there. They build an academy there with shops and hotels to cover
costs. Why will children travel from Margao to Panjim everyday if there is no
residential academy? The players with talent have to practice at one place.
Look at Hyderabad. All the best are together and push each other up. The state
government needs to have a long term plan. The quality of coaching is
doubtful.” He said this meant the players would remain at the state and compete
amongst themselves and not compete at the national level. The sports minister
he said was least bothered and so it was not fair to blame the state
associations. Maybe but then nothing seems to be changing in the sporting
culture of the state.
The
world seems to be moving on but Goa seems to be stuck in a rut in matters of
sport. It remains to be seen how long this state of affairs will continue.
