Sports Council’s notification fails to tame unrecognized sports bodies

Sports Council’s notification fails to tame unrecognized sports bodies

Innocent parents being befooled by money minters

Yash Khajuria

JAMMU, June 07: With most of the politically influential people sitting at the helm of affairs and holding command of both affiliated and non-affiliated sports associations in J&K State Sports Council, the recently issued list of affiliated associations by the Sports Council did not make any difference to their style of functioning.

According to sources, more than 60 associations claim to conduct sports activities but only 49 associations have been recognized by the Sports Council so far. Sources further said the non-affiliated sports associations were indulging in false practice to lure the innocent parents to allow their wards to participate in the championship.

These associations claimed that they were affiliated with the Sports Council but in actual they were not serious in promoting sports but just want to mint money to fulfill their selfish motives. "Just as Sports Council has issued a list of affiliated associations, it must issue list of those associations as well who are yet to get affiliation from it", said one of the officials on the condition of anonymity. 

"The Council has also advised the sportspersons along with their parents for not falling prey to some people who are running unrecognized associations and befool people with their mesmerizing tricks and policies, to potent their vested interests but still the ill practice continues in full swing", another official claimed.

“There are two types of games recognized by the Sports Council in the State, one which falls under the SRO and benefits the sports persons in attaining jobs over sports merit, and other includes the games which offers sports quota in the Higher Education to the scholars.  But on the other hand, many associations are conducting activities in the state which are neither been recognized by the Sports Council nor they falls under the above mentioned schedule", he added.  

"If a sports person holds a game for 5-10 years he will be expecting some benefits for himself either in job or in the education which is genuine, but if he plays a game for decade which is not been recognized by the council then his devoted time in sports will be wasted", said Ranjeet Kalra, BCCI member and vice-president, J&K Wushu Association.

"That is the reason I have appealed to the sports minister and Secretary Sports Council to publicise that list of recognised associations so that the sports persons and their parents would be able to choose a game which will also offer some benefit to them and, to stop unauthorized associations from misleading the children and their parents,” he maintained.

Interestingly, the authorities has also displayed a loop hand to the non-affiliated associations as the Secretary, State Sports Council, Kiran Wattal says that we cannot pass any direction or order to those bodies which are not under our constitutional authority.  

“If any XYZ association is working for the development of sports at the district and below level, they can do the same but they cannot ask us for any support and assistance as they do not exist anywhere in the state sports council” he added.

Apparently, if the authorities will not take harsh steps against the unaffiliated associations in the state it will be difficult to make people away from be cheated by the fraud associations.