The Hindu : Sport : Seminar on the sports scene in the State

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Friday, Jul 22, 2005

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Sport - Sports : General

Seminar on the sports scene in the State

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The need to educate athletes on the side effects of drug abuse and the development of basic training facilities across the State were the two key points highlighted by experts and coaches alike at the one-day seminar on the Kerala sports scene, organised by Malayala Manorama, here on Thursday.

The discussion also focussed on the need to curb overloading of training among sub-junior and junior athletes and on the adaptation of sports medicine into the daily training programme of the various disciplines.

A plea was also made for the proper coordination among the various agencies involved in the promotion of sport in the State and the inclusion of sport as a part of the educational curriculum.

The seminar noted that drug abuse was on the increase in the State and the menace could go out of hand in the long run if proper measures were not adopted on a war footing.

Presenting a paper on the subject, Dr. P.S.M. Chandran (Sports Authority of India, New Delhi), admitted that it was nearly impossible to wipe out the menace of drug abuse from the Indian sports scene.

He said the problem could be tackled only by educating the athletes on the various side effects of drug abuse and that the sporting fraternity should finds ways to rehabilitate those who have been caught doping.

Dr. G. Kishore (Director, SAI, South Centre, Bangalore) called for steps to broadbase sports among the youth of the country. He said it was high regrettable that only a few hundred thousands took part in active sports all across the country despite a population of over 100 crores.

Dr. Pralay Mazumdar and Dr. C.S.Jayaprakash (both SAI, Bangalore), Dr. Jose Zachariah and Dr. Arshad (both sports medicine experts) also presented papers on the various facets of sports medicine.

The Kerala Sports Council president, C. Mohanachandran, pointed out that it was high time that the Government raised its funding for sports activities in the State. He said that if this was not possible, the Government should seriously consider the possibility of imposing a sports cess in the State.

The Education Minister, E.T. Mohammed Basheer, inaugurated the seminar, while the Sports Minister, Dominic Presentation was the chief guest at the valedictory function.

The former SAI Executive Director, Pathrose P. Mathai was the moderator of the proceedings attended by senior administrators, coaches and former athletes.

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