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| SPORTS TRIBUNE |
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Commonwealth
Games: a commercial proposition Kerala's hero, JCT's asset Teeing-off |
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Commonwealth Games: a commercial proposition THE allround euphoria over the successful bidding for the Commonwealth Games of the 2010 edition is understandable. Having lost the bid to tiny Qatar for the Asian Games, India needed a major boost to recover from the shock verdict. And what better than a prestigious event like the Commonwealth Games? A first for a developing country, the Games in 2010 will be the second to be held in Asia. The first time it was held in this continent was when Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) played host. The initial joyous reaction apart for a job well done, there is considerable thinking afoot on some of the more important aspects connected with the Games. One of them relates to the commercial and business angle, always an important off-shoot of any international event, even if it be sport. And the Confederation of Indian Industry, by welcoming the successful bid for the Commonwealth Games, has added the needed dimension. As per reports the CII which already has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Olympic Association, is expected to play to a major role in ensuring the financial success of the Games. This is a very important issue and is directly related to the enormous amount of money to be invested in upgrading the infrastructure for the Games. Plus of course there has to be some means of getting back the huge amounts promised to competing nations, which at the time of voting, has been subject to criticism. Whether the charges made against India at the bidding can stand scrutiny is altogether questionable but the truth is that a country, a poor one like India, was so anxious to host a multi-event, that it was prepared to go beyond its capabilities to win the bid. The last part of it is something which will take years to understand. But then Indian ambitions have always been unreasonable when compared to the economic situation in the country. This unreasonableness, or call it ignorance, was so obvious when one of the high profile dignitaries spoke aloud about the next step after the Commonwealth Games. He talked about the hosting the Olympic Games. This is pure madness and should be nipped in the bud. What precisely does the hosting of a major international event in India mean? The last time when India hosted the Asian Games, the capital gained in terms of flyovers and new roads to add to the sports infrastructure. The public has now been promised more such improvement to tie up with the Commonwealth Games. Why should the hosting of an international event be linked to facilities for the public? Can’t the government improve the facilities without holding a mega event? Perhaps the high sounding dignitary had this in mind when he spoke about India hosting Olympic Games. If Delhi citizens are to benefit only when such events are held why not have every Asian, Commonwealth and Olympic Games in Delhi? Now to the more important aspect of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. Apart from flyovers and new roads the government is planning to give a facelift to the structures built for the Asian Games and also construct new ones. Perhaps it was in anticipation of the success at the bidding that the site for the Games village was already chosen. Not only that someone connected with the construction was so sure of the success of the bid that the way to the site has already been named Commonwealth Games Village. Such confidence! New construction is one thing. But given the general state of disuse the sports structures built for the Asian Games, it is very important that the government should set up a special committee to ensure that all these structures would continue to be maintained properly even after the Games and that the facilities are extended to common people. There is no use having big stadiums if they are to be kept as show pieces. They must remain in use. |
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Kerala's hero, JCT's asset Born on August 2, 1975, at Trichur, Kerala, Joe Paul Ancheri is today ranked among India’s finest midfielders. He not only marshals the midfield intelligently but also poses a constant threat to rival defence with his power-packed shots. In the inaugural Afro-Asian Games at Hyderabad, Ancheri as a member of the national team, played a key role in propelling India into the final, which unluckily tilted Uzbekistan's way through a solitary goal coming in the dying minutes. Son of Mr AP Paul, a vegetable market accountant in Trichur, Ancheri has three elder brothers, one younger to him and one sister. Currently a key member of Punjab’s premier soccer outfit JCT Phagwara, Joe Paul Ancheri made his first international appearance in 1992 in the under-19 team. In 1993, he was picked in the national side for the Rajiv Gandhi Gold Cup and since then he has been continuously representing India. In 1994 and 2000 he was adjudged as India’s best player by the All-India Football Federation. He has also been the captain of the Indian team thrice in the pre-Olympic tournament in 1995, SAF Games in Nepal in 1999 and in the 2000 Merdeka Cup. Joe Paul picked up the rudiments of the game from coach Joseph Raice at Tirur while studying at St Thomas High School. Former national coach and JCT’s current coach Sukhwinder Singh polished his skill further and today he is not only an asset for the midfield but also for the forward line. In fact JCT's fortunes rest with the well-built Kerala lad who had to miss the opening tie of the ongoing National Football League against Indian Bank at Chennai on December 1 due to a knee injury. At Phagwara, where he has been allotted a decent house inside the JCT complex, Ancheri is a much-loved person. He has a good rapport with team-mate IM Vijayan as also families of some employees hailing from Kerala. “Phagwara is a nice place. I am enjoying my stay with JCT,” Joe Paul said during a recent meeting. On December 9 Ancheri is expected to play a leading role in JCT’s clash with East Bengal at Ludhiana in the national league. |
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Teeing-off GOLF is an energy sapping, slow and full-day game. An 18-hole round takes between 4 and 4˝ hours of active play. In competitive, pro circuit, it requires a very cool temperament, rapt concentration, quick adoption to varying conditions and an ability to withstand mounting pressure. Golfers are of varying types possessing peculiar habits and different mannerisms. They act and react differently in different situations. There are some — a few who like the presence of their parents, relations and known spectators. There are many who get perturbed, disturbed and even devastated when they steal glimpses of parents or close friends. Their style of play gets affected and they make silly, unparadonable mistakes. In this country, there are a few top-ranking golfers of proven ability and skill. They have achieved laurels and can perform more creditably abroad and at home, if only their parents resist the urge of staying away from their sons when on course in Japan, or Europe or USA or Delhi. The parent, a very likeable person, should realise that success of his son in international sphere is more important than his own sentiments. The parent should be man enough to refuse to avail of the PTA (pre-travel advice) even if ‘Kaka’ is disciplined youngster to send him one. This kind of phenomenon is peculiar to this country. This is a world-wide problem. Parents learn from experience and stay away from their children when they are engaged in international competition. If such discipline is enacted by parents, maybe, their children will bring more success to themselves, to the country and to their parents, who have groomed them and financed them to reap harvest of riches. The recently concluded sixth edition of the Hero Honda Masters was meticulously organised by Pawan Kant Munjal and his dedicated team of workers. But overall competition did not attain dizzy heights. Some of the important reasons for the tournament failing to provide exciting scores are: 1. The international field of participation was the same without any exciting new player on the horizon of the Indian Masters, 2. The course was very tough. In fact, it was more challenging than it should have been. The hole 14 seemed a ‘death trap’ for many. 3. The Indian challenge and charge were varied but that was about all. 4. The Indians, know for being fair-weather players, seemed petrified under the weight of tournament pressure and their own reputation. 5. Weather conditions were ideal although some players thought otherwise. The majority of the Indian pros in their backyard provided a very inconsistent exhibition of strokeplay. For Arjun Atwal to win the title with four-day total of 281, seven under, was/miserable performance when major tournaments on this course had been won with scores of under 16 and more. Atwal’s nerves ‘behaved’. It could not be said of others. Jyoti Randhawa did have a problem with his shoulder that had been badly injured in a road-accident some time ago. Jeev Milkha Singh, as is usual with him, flattered to deceive. He carded six under on the opening day raising visions of a ‘tiger’ shining in his home cage. It turned out to be a fake roar. His subsequent three-day scores were 72, 73 and 74. He went on record as saying that he almost pulled out of the competition because of food poisoning. Was it a food poisoning, or butterflies were playing havoc with him? In the World Cup of Golf, the Indian duo of Gaurav Ghei and Digvijay Singh could not play to their potential. They finished 22nd among 24 competitors. The finished 16 over 304. They carded 9 over and 11 over in the first two rounds. |
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Indians shone in Afro-Asian Games THE Afro-Asian Games concluded at Hyderabad on a happy note. Heartiest congratulations to the women’s hockey team who outclassed the mighty South Africa in the final to clinch the gold without key players like Manjinder Kaur, Mamta
Kharb, Sita Gosain and Pritam Siwach. Our football team also proved their mettle in all the matches but unluckily conceded a goal in the dying seconds in the final against Uzbekistan. Our shooters Anjli Bhagwat and
Rathore, tennis players Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza athletes Neelam J. Singh, Anil Kumar and Anju Bobby George swelled the medal kitty. Our standard in every discipline has improved a great deal. The tragedy is that cricket, which is played by a few countries, is accorded the top priority. It is telecast by Doordarshan for days together whereas other games are ignored.
— BANSI
RAM,
Chak Hajipur
Hockey victory Kudos to the Indian hockey team for their remarkable performance in the Afro-Asian Games held in Hyderabad. They beat arch rivals Pakistan 3-1 in the final. Incidentally it was their third straight victory against Pakistan. Now we can say with confidence that the Indian hockey team has found its glorious touch and has improved its performance considerably. Earlier it was feared that after dropping certain senior players, the team would not be able to put up a good show. But the team deserves heartiest congratulations for their wonderful victory in the Afro-Asian Games. Of course coach Rajinder Singh has worked hard to polish the talent of the players. Well done, keep it up. — SUBHASH C. TANEJA, Rohtak Surjit hockey Kudos to Bharat Petroleum for retaining the Indian Oil Surjit Hockey Tournament title. They routed BSF Jalandhar 3-0 in the final which almost turned out to be a lop-sided affair. Bharat Petroleum displayed better stick work, game plan and coordination and deservedly emerged victorious. — TARSEM S. BUMRAH, Batala |
ON October 30, 2003, Indian football coach Stephen Constantine, sitting in the lounge of Hyderabad's Green Park hotel, made a profound statement concerning the composition of the national team. " I would like to have 10 Bhutias, 10 Vijayans and 10 Ancheris in my team," he thundered as the Indians prepared for the final of the Afro-Asian Games against Uzbekistan billed for the following day. The Ancheri that Constantine referred to was none else than Kerala's star international Joe Paul, who has made Punjab his home for the past two seasons.