Chenab region feels ignored in sports

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Doda, December 9

Like other fields, the Chenab region of Jammu and Kashmir, comprising Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts, is way behind in sports compared to the twin capital cities and other major towns of this Union Territory.

No attention has been paid by successive governments in developing sports infrastructure and giving opportunities to budding sportsmen to represent their state or country.

Be it the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, youth services sports department or associations of various games, they have never made any efforts to provide a platform to the youth to showcase their talent. Associations of various games haven’t opened their sub-offices in this region and, moreover, they don’t have any representative from the Chenab region in their associations.

Whenever any intra-state or inter-district event is held, interested youths of this region don’t get any information. Mostly youths from Jammu and Srinagar represent the state, irrespective of being talented or not, and youths of Chenab valley have no place in any team.

An example in this regard is that of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) where in the past it has been seen that the JKCA team is either represented by players from Jammu or Srinagar. Same is the case with the hockey association, football association, volleyball, athletics and other sports where youths of Chenab valley don’t even get a chance to showcase their talent.

“During last winter, I forced my parents to take me to Jammu and joined a cricket academy to get exposure. Despite performing well, I was not given a chance in the under-14 cricket team of the state and youth from Jammu and Srinagar were made part of the team,” said Samad Baba, a talented cricketer of Doda.He said those players were included in the team who were sons of police officials and politicians and there was no place for talented cricketers of the Chenab region.

The situation in other sports is no different and no chance is being given to youths of the Chenab region.