SRINAGAR: Though nobody can deny that, the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has emerged as vibrant ever in the sports activities since the Waheed-Ur-Rehmaan Parra took charge as Secretary.
Ironically, all efforts of the enthusiastic Parra’s to promote sports culture among youth get wasted due to pitiable management of the events as in the case of 3rd National Snow Rugby 7’s Championship concludes at Gulmarg.
Junior Rugby Teams, who were invited from different district headquarters of the Kashmir valley while talking to Kashmir Patriot, alleged that the entire event was meagerly managed.
The players of junior team, especially from district headquarters were aghast as there were no seating arrangements for them amid bad weather conditions at hill resort. They said that Parra’s efforts are being marred by departments responsible for management of the sports activity.
They said that there were three tents erected one for Chief Guest, second for D.J (Music) and third for the Trophies cum ceremony, however, “No seating arrangements for other players and spectators amid cold, rains were kept”, they said.
A junior girls team from a district headquarter wishing anonymity alleged that they were invited on pretext of participation adding that, “We were actually invited to build crowd only”.
They said that there was no transportation made available for the teams invited from the district headquarters, especially not even for girls.
The list of mismanagement does not stop here, but the young players comprises of girls and boys, who reached Gulmarag enthusiastically at 10am by their own arrangements were offered refreshment made available at Tangmarg instead of the venue of the event.
The young players alleged that they were made spectators for the day adding that latter around 4pm were asked to leave for home. They said the organizers didn’t bother to make some availability of transportation for these players at least up to Tangmarg.
“We felt like we are not players but a bounded labour to add the number of crowd. Empty stomach amid bad weather conditions, we were stuck useless”, team players from one of the district said.
The players also said that this ill treatment has discouraged them from the sport. They said, the government spends huge sums for the sports activities, but the organizers manage it merely for the purpose of fetching bills from the public exchequer rather than for the sole motive of promoting sports culture among youth.
Despite attempts, no official from the J&K state sports council, state Rugby Association was reached for comment over the issue.
Pertinently the championship was organized by state Rugby Association and sponsored by J&K state sports council besides logistically supported by the tourism department.
Teams from 10 states of Uttrakhand, Bihar , Jharkhand , Chhattisgarh, Punjab , Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat , Rajasthan and host Jammu and Kashmir took part in both Men’s and Women’s team.
Both the teams from J&K men’s and Women’s register its victory in the championship.
The sports council is organizing different sports events at the block level to promote sports culture among the rural youth, which has persuade several Youth to take sports as a career pursuit.
