Karnataka   

Sportspersons should formulate sports policy: Arun Machaiah

SUNTICOPPA (KODAGU): Sportspersons and experts should formulate a sports policy to bring laurels to the country in international competitions, C.S. Arun Machaiah, MLC, said here on Sunday.

He was speaking after distributing prizes to winners and runners-up of the Kodagu District Football League after the finals here.

It was unfortunate that bureaucrats had a say in matters relating to sports administration and selections, he said.

He cited China’s example of how matters pertaining to sports and games were handled in that country, which made their athletes win medals in international competitions.

Many sportspersons in India found the going tough since sports and academics had to go together. A best sportsperson would lose out if he or she failed to pursue academics, he said.

But in China, a sportsperson was allowed to continue only in sports and games till he or she ensured medals for the country. Only then, he or she would be allowed to pursue studies, Mr. Machaiah said.

Though there was abundant talent in Kodagu, not many got admissions to the sports hostel at Kudige in Somwarpet taluk and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Hostel in Madikeri, he said.

Because, selections to the Kudige hostel were made at the State-level and to SAI at the national-level, he said. Mr. Machaiah felt that there was a need to revive the activities of the Amateur Athletics Association’s Kodagu unit to encourage sports and games in the district.

Mr. Machaiah criticised the policy of making recruitment of a physical education teacher in the government primary school only if it had not less than 240 students. How could any Malnad region expect to have 240 students in a primary division? Many sports talents would go unidentified in that case, he said.

In the final match of the district league, City United Club of Sunticoppa defeated Ambedkar Youth Club of Polibetta by 3-0 goals after leading 1-0 in the first half.

Rafiq (7th minute) and Ibrahim (60th and 65th) scored for the winners.

Lokesh Kumar, president of the Kodagu District Football Association, presided over the function. Mohan Aiyappa, founder-president of the association; Pemmaiah, vice-president of the Somwarpet Taluk Panchayat; and Lateef, panchayat member, spoke.

Jagdish, treasurer of the association; and Christopher, who represents the association in the State Football Association; were felicitated.

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