Paid trip for officials, torture for players
The sports ministry talks about empowering sportspersons in the new sports bill draft, but it's only last year that archers for the World University archery championships were left to fend for themselves even as the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) officials enjoyed a fully paid trip to the same venue - Shenzhen, China - at the same time.
The sports ministry talks about empowering sportspersons in the new sports bill draft, but it's only last year that archers for the World University archery championships were left to fend for themselves even as the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) officials enjoyed a fully paid trip to the same venue - Shenzhen, China - at the same time.
Last year in October, Beena Shah, the AIU secretary-general, MD Tewari, the then AIU president, and a ministry representative attended a meeting of the Asian University Sports Federation in Shenzhen with expenses borne by the government. But the archery squad was left to fund its own trip.
"When we were told we'll have to fund our trip for World University archery, we requested our university - Punjabi University, Patiala - to loan us some money, which we would repay once the AIU or the ministry reimbursed the expenditure. We've submitted the bills to the AIU more than seven months back but haven't got a reply," said Raj Kumar, sports director, Punjabi University.
No Respite
In September last, Indian shuttlers participated in World University badminton in Chinese-Taipei and there too they had to bear the cost. The condition of the wrestling squad for World University wrestling in Italy in October was far worse as the players couldn't board the flight because of money constraints.
All this despite the Sports Authority of India funding the coaching camps, employing coaches and conducting selection trials for the three events. Later, the ministry rejected the files on the plea that they don't sanction such events.
"We have sent a reminder to the ministry. It takes time to get things done," said Shah.
"Every year the ministry gives a grant of 4-5 crore to the AIU. They should fund their teams with the resources provided to them," said a ministry official.
"We only fund events that are on the Long Term Development Plan of that particular association," said Injeti Srinivas, joint secretary, sports ministry.