Sports - Now enjoying a better status with changing mindset?
Sports - Now enjoying a better status with changing mindset?
Recent success in common wealth games, Asian games and the overwhelming response to the maiden pro kabbadi league has reflected a change in attitude towards sports within the country. Sports other than cricket, are now gaining reputation. Sportspersons too are getting better facilities and opportunities to prove their mettle. But, we need to see whether this change is just a hype attributed to recent success or exists in reality.
Yes:
-Sportspersons are now getting enough monetary rewards from state as well as central governments for their splendid display at various platforms.
-Private sector’s interest and role has increased in sports. Private academies have been set up, for instance TATA Archery Academy in Jharkhand.
-Sportspersons are gaining the status of celebrities in the country. Today, people know who Sushil Kumar, Marry Kom etc are. These players have huge fan following on social sites.
-Training facilities have improved and players are now getting inputs from foreign coaches. Also increased participation in international tournaments has given players the much needed exposure and confidence to compete at international level.
No:
-Sports authorities in the country are still governed by politicians. They themselves have never played sports and know very little about the requirements of that sport and sportsperson.
-Barring a few training centers, facilities available for players are pathetic. Players struggle with the facilities, authorities and most of them end up getting nothing. So, ultimately they quit sports as a career option.
-The positive hype is only limited to large events. National games hardly attract any spectators in the stadium.
-Sports hardly get the topmost priority in our society as a career option. Parents seldom support their children’s decision of opting sports as a career.
-Only a few states like Haryana are producing players with international reputation reflecting the unsatisfactory condition of sports in most of the states.
Conclusion:
Undoubtedly sports (other than cricket) are gaining much more praise today, but will it be long lasting, we cannot say. This momentum generated by the unprecedented performances of our players must be carried forward. Real change in sports will come when the governing authority of sports bodies will be given to former players instead of politicians. Today, sports have emerged a powerful medium of manifesting a country’s might at international level and most importantly a country of 1.25 billion deserves a far better performance.
Discussion
- RE: Sports - Now enjoying a better status with changing mindset? -Deepa Kaushik (10/10/14)
- Sports, this term is gaining its original recognition in India in the recent days. Instead of the Cricket being in the limelight, even other events are coming up gaining better audience crowd to cheer and applaud. Earlier, the term sports had been in use just fir the cricket. With the growing popularity of Commonwealth Games and Asiad and the dedicated players making up to the winning note, Indians have started to count for the number of medals won in different sports events.
Sports is definitely enjoying better status amongst Indians now. But it still remains doubtful whether our mindset is changing. It is a normal human tendency to get attracted towards success and pride. As we are having our players into the list of winners and media, as always making out the news out of every possible event, it seems that people are more aware of the news of these events.
The number of spectators might have increased on the field, but the number of people watching the games on telwvision hasn't seen much increase. This could be one of the reason that the private channels don't telecast these games the same way as cricket. These games though have received enough coverage on the news in social media, it is still doubtful whether people have accepted these sports events as a part of their physical regime and entertainment or just trying to keep themselves updated of the general awareness within tge country.
To have a clear acceptance amongst the masses, we need the help of youth to get themselves indulged in other sports activities than sports, and the social media to give a widespread coverage and create the level of enthusiasm and eagerness to watch our nation holding up the victory cup.
