Not going Swimmingly well....

Jharkhand is hosting the 34th National Games which begins in less than one month. So, a swimming camp has been organised for the 40 member contingent in Ranchi. Actually inside an appartment in Ranchi. Truly, if the report in the Statesman, 26th January 2011, is to be believed.

Apparently, they lie down on the floor and thrash their arms and legs about. Simulating swimming. The report also adds that nearly half of this contingent have never seen a pool having practiced in ponds and lakes.

I had to reread the item to make sure it was not a joke. Ofcourse, I almost missed this article tucked on Page 15, amid various articles on cricket.

So what? Nothing I guess. India's pride has already been salvaged, hasn't it? The rooms and facilities at GWG 2010 were found to be acceptable to all foreign visitors weren't they? GW games were for International teams, afterall, so the swimming pools for training would have been pools with water.

The Jharkhand swimming team, is like Oliver, asking for more. How dare they?

[Ps - I dont think they asked for a pool. The report stated that they felt demoralized. What an understatement that].

A sporting chance

All the brouhaha about the CGW Delhi 2010. The paw prints on the bed, the leaky roofs, the Rs. 6000 toilet rolls. Would it ever get finished on time? Will it meet "international" standards? Will the international athletes approve? Will we as a nation, be able to rise to the ocassion?

Well the answers to all of the above was a resounding yes.

However, it struck me as terribly terribly sad. I was not angry or upset at the rest of the world questioning India's ability to organise such an event. Every question just made me sadder.

Look at all our Indian athletes and sportspersons. Does anyone in India ever think of them? Has the government shown an iota of concern for them? Why should Indian athletes have to wait for CWG for world class stadias and facilities?

We should have been disqualified at the very outset. We are one of the most unsporting nations in the world. Except cricket. No, I am not talking about the sportsmen or athletes. Look at the pitiable state of affairs in regional or even national sports. Look at the outlays, the facilities, the total apathy. Ours sportspersons are handicapped even before they can begin.

And despite it all, they performed and how; making us proud all the while when we were humiliating them by raising a hue and cry for facilities for international athletes. I apologise to all of you - you are the real sports, all of you.

Seeing the medal haul, there I was thinking that perhaps things will look up for the non cricket sports and sports persons in India.

However, just days after the closing ceremony, we find a buzz about the boxing arena in the Talkatora stadium being removed to make way for the AICC meet. The boxers for the Asian Games can well box else where. Afterall, they are not really used to such "international" facilities are they? And these were not really for them, were they?