Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

“Poor facilities, cause for downfall of hockey”

— Photo: M. Moorthy

Experience speaks: Olympian V. Baskaran interacting with members of the Rotaract Club at Bishop Heber college in Tiruchi on Wednesday.

TIRUCHI: With the biggest sporting event on the planet – Olympics, round the corner, an interaction with former Olympian Vasudevan Baskaran could not have come at a better time for the students of Bishop Heber College.

The session, organised jointly by the Rotaract Club and Department of Physical Education of the college here on Wednesday, featured a lively chat between students and Baskaran, who was the captain of the Indian hockey team that won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

“We are eight time gold medallists in the hockey at the Olympics. It is shocking that we couldn’t even make it to Beijing this time around. Whatever happened has happened and we need to move on. The rich talent available in the rural parts of the country should be exposed to the latest trend,” replied Baskaran to a query by a student on the sorry state of Indian hockey.

The Padma Shri awardee cited the poor infrastructure facilities in the country as the major reason for the downfall of Indian hockey.

“For such a big country, we only have got a handful of astro-turf grounds. Then how can we regain the lost glory. We need to blame the facilities available rather than the team. The funds allotted for sports in the Union budget should be increased considerably,” he felt.

Similar facilities were not available in those days as well, but how did we manage to win gold?

“There is no point in comparing the present situation with the past. Hockey is no more played on gravel surfaces. Times have changed and technology has started playing a major role in every sport. Youngsters have to be trained on astroturfs from the beginning and for that we need the facility in every district,” answered Baskaran, who has also represented India in two Word Cups (1973 at Amstelveen and 1978 at Buenos Aires).

The former national coach dismissed the notion that sportspersons will not be that good in academics.

“Many of the Olympic gold medal winners from western countries, especially the United States, are professionally qualified. If they can balance sports and academics, why can’t we do it,” he questioned.

Baskaran wished all success to the Indian contingent for Beijing and expressed hope that the sportspersons would give their best at the quadrennial event and do the nation proud.

The Principal of the college, M. Marcus Diepen Boominathan, presided over the meeting.

Former international athlete Mujitha Nizamudeen and the Director of Physical Education of the college, L. C. John, were present on the occasion.

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