After winning the Canada Open doubles championship with her partner Ashwini Ponappa, badminton player Jwala Gutta said, "A lot of players are performing right now only because of Government funding. If Government doesn't fund, a lot of players will be lost. We are really depending on the Government. This TOP scheme is that extra boost which the players need to focus on the game for the Olympics. We are really relying on government support.”
TOP is ‘Target Olympic Podium’ scheme initiated by the Union Government. The scheme envisages identification of athletes who are potential medal winners in Olympics and providing support to them for preparation for the international sporting event.
As of March, 45 athletes have been identified from six disciplines as potential medal winners for 2016 Rio Olympics. Around 30 more athletes are to be identified.
Jwala and Ashwini after winning the Canada Open met KCR. Now KCR has written a letter to Narendra Modi. Noting that Gutta and her doubles partner Ponappa have not been included in the TOP scheme, Rao requested the Prime Minister to make the two players part of the programme at the earliest while listing their achievements as sportsmen.
"She is the first-ever Indian woman to have won a medal at the world championships and the only Indian in the Indian history of Olympics to qualify for two events," KCR said in the letter to the Prime Minister.
The Chief Minister said his Government would facilitate setting up of a badminton academy by her in Hyderabad and also bear the cost of her training, according to an official release.
On the face of it, there seems to be nothing wrong in a Chief Minister promoting the cause of a worthy sportsman. But the downside is that should Narendra Modi accede to KCR’s request, it could spark off similar requests from the CM’s of other states or other politicians.
If Modi refuses KCR’s request, it would be seen like a snub to KCR. Hence, in such kinds of issues, it would be better for politicians including the likes of KCR not to interfere and leave the decision making to the concerned sporting bodies. Or else, he could route his request through the Hyderabad Sports Association. Direct interference will end up politicizing the whole issue.
Kiran Sharma
