A country that never seriously aspired to shine at the Olympics, India’s expectations changed after London. Used to one or none for decades, three medals in 2008 and six in 2012 were a big deal. That’s why the Rio return of two feels like back to square one.
It doesn’t go with the ambition of a nation eager to make things happen. Other than being an announcement of resolve, the Prime Minister’s decision to form a task force to chart the way ahead is an acceptance of this national hurt.
As India observes the National Sports Day on Monday, more promises will be made. With scepticism, it’s fair to assume minimal thought would be spared for sports in schools. Not that champions will be made there, but that’s where accepting sports as a culture starts. Countries doing better treat sports with more respect. Till that happens, expectations would continue to be hysterical rather than realistic.
It’s not about schools functioning as a feeder system, because they have to serve their primary purpose - education. It’s about making sports a part of life. Playing is no more a pastime. Children play mostly in coaching centres. Olympic hopefuls pursue sport to secure jobs. Parents discouraging children from playing are no minority either. If perceptions and practices don’t change, performance cannot get better.
A glance at data from six states reveals that nearly 30 per cent of schools don’t have playgrounds. In most places, it’s mandatory to have one. Some can’t afford grounds for want of space or funds, some use the land for other purposes. About 20 per cent of posts for physical education teachers are vacant. There are reports of these teachers working on a pittance and being treated with disregard. Equipment is nonexistent in several schools and scarce in others. Most institutes have no facilities for girls to participate even in leisurely sporting activities. Allocation for games in school budgets is negligible.
“Society should change the perception that children interested in sports are unintelligent. A successful person is one who excels in chosen field. Greater participation in sports-related activity will lead to a greater pool of players,” says Anju Bobby George, India’s only World Championship medal winner in athletics. As The New Indian Express reports in today’s sports special, in terms of taking sports to grassroots, we’ve a long way to go before reaching the starting blocks.
(Inputs from Ram M Sundaram, J Deepthi Nandan Reddy, Rashmi Belur, Sovi Vidyadharan, Adwaidh Rajan, Diana Sahu, Prasanjeet Sarkar and Anil Kumar)