CHENNAI: These are testing times for sports administrators in the country, with the recent BCCI and IOA affairs resembling one of those tense Hollywood movies. But, you can always count on the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) for comic relief ! The VFI is still split between factions pledging allegiance to (deposed, according to the secretary) president Chaudhary Avdhesh Kumar and (dismissed, as per the president) secretary Ramavtar Singh Jakhar.
With both factions hell bent on governing the sport, Indian volleyball now has two of everything. Take this year’s Junior National Championships. What is supposed to be its 43rd edition kicked off in Chitradurga in Karnataka on Friday, with Avdhesh Kumar in attendance. Except that all associations got an invite to participate in the same event in April in Kerala, this time signed off by Jakhar.
The Karnataka tournament’s organising secretary K Nandakumar, also elected as Jakhar’s replacement at the Avdhesh Kumar faction’s meeting in Nagpur, claims that 22 states have turned up to contest in the boys’ division and 15 in the girls’ section. Jakhar says that every association except three has confirmed participation. One has to wonder exactly how many states there are in VFI’s map of India! “The tournament in Karnataka is not being organised by the VFI and is merely a local event,” Jakhar says. “There are 3-4 teams from some states, who are playing under the colours of other states. That is how they are claiming representation.” It’s a claim that Nandakumar shrugs off.
“We’re legally the official federation and we have documents to prove it. They can hold whatever they want, but that isn’t our concern.” Not making things any clearer is a January 10 Madras High Court order that delays ruling on the validity of the ongoing tournament till later. “I consider that whatever tournament that is now proposed to be conducted by whichever individual or organisation may proceed and the legitimacy and validity of such tournament and its binding nature on the respondent would be considered, if so required to be considered, during the final disposal of these appeals.
After all, more games means greater exposure to the players,” it reads. But a former India international, who wished to remain anonymous, says that too many cooks can indeed spoil the broth. “In a sport like volleyball, where most players are in it for jobs, these things make a difference. Right now, a total of 50 certificates for having played the junior nationals will be given. How will the players know which of these certificates are valid?” There is a Kerala team in Chitradurga, while the ‘official’ team will no doubt be part of the April event, since Kerala is the host association, he says. “Can we say that one set of players are in the wrong? If both certificates are valid, then won’t representing your state at the junior nationals have lost its value?”
vishnu.prasad@newindianexxpress.com