Kerala's Asian Games heroes disgruntled; allege neglect by state govt

The Hangzhou Asian Games brought moments of jubilation to Indian sports, including a remarkable medal haul and exceptional performances by athletes. However, for Kerala, once celebrated as the athletic capital of the nation, it became a catalyst for controversies surrounding sports governance.

This Asian Games notably brought great pride to Kerala, tallying an impressive count of 12 medals, including prestigious gold and silver ones. However, the elation was overshadowed by a disheartening account of sports figures highlighting the government’s negligence towards these athletic heroes, leaving them emotionally bruised.

PR Sreejesh, former captain of the hockey team, ignited it by openly flaying the government for not acknowledging their medal victories. He clarified that they were not seeking monetary rewards, but rather emphasising the importance of recognition and respect, elements that seemed to have slipped through the cracks.

On returning home, Sreejesh expressed his disillusionment, articulating, “I didn't even receive a congratulatory WhatsApp message from the panchayat president. They speak of financial constraints, but sending a simple WhatsApp message incurs no cost.” Curiously, Sreejesh chose to voice his concerns to the media after a visit from West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, a former bureaucrat who transitioned into a BJP politician.

Ancy Sojan, who won a silver medal in the long jump in Asian Games, also sounded bitter towards the administrators. She felt neglected by the state government. She even refuted the claim by Sports Council president U Sharaf Ali that he had congratulated her. “Only TN Prathapan, the Congress MP from Thrissur, called to congratulate me. I did not get any call from the council,” Ancy told the media.

Severing ties

In another jolt to the state, especially the State Badminton Association, HS Prannoy, the highest-ranked men’s singles badminton player in India, declared his decision not to represent Kerala any longer. He expressed his frustration with the “mistreatment he received from the sports fraternity” in the state. Prannoy announced his decision to represent Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Indian National Badminton Championships. The TN association has already been in talks with the ace shuttler.

Eldhose Paul and Abdulla Aboobacker, the gold medal winners in the triple jump at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Athletics Championships, respectively, are the other athletes who had decided to sever ties with Kerala. Eldhose, the first Kerala athlete to secure gold in the triple jump, pointed out that he received no acknowledgment or message appreciating his historic win at the CWG in 2022.

Abdulla Aboobacker, echoed the sentiment, saying, “While medal winners from other states received plenty of recognition, I was expecting at least a small prize and a message.” Kerala’s athletes felt undervalued and overlooked by their home state, leading to a significant shift in their allegiance. These athletes, who have worked tirelessly to bring glory to Kerala, sought recognition and support that seemed to be missing.

Earlier, former national footballers Anas Edathodika and Rino Anto had voiced a similar grievance about being overlooked for government job opportunities. They were even embroiled in a disagreement with the Sports Council's president and former Indian football captain U Sharaf Ali.

Listing financial aid

In response to the growing discontent, the state government merely listed the financial aid extended to the athletes. “The state government provided Rs 10 lakh to all Malayali athletes and team members who participated in the Olympics,” said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in his media briefing. “The government had awarded PR Sreejesh Rs 2 crore and a job promotion after his Olympics victory.”

Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan penned a letter to Chief Minister Vijayan and Sports Minister V Abdurahiman, urging them to promptly address the matter of athletes departing the state purportedly due to the government's apathy, particularly within the sports department.

“The media has consistently highlighted the departure of athletes from Kerala, attributing it to the negligence of both the state government and the sports department. Following international badminton player HS Prannoy, now international triple jump stars Eldhose Paul and Abdullah Aboobacker have also declared their intentions to leave Kerala. Undoubtedly, this will severely impact the state’s sports sector,” read the letter.

However, according to the Chief Minister, the government's very policy is to turn the contributions of the athletes in a way that strengthens the sports in Kerala. “This government holds the record for offering the highest number of job opportunities to athletes. Over the past 7 years, the state government has appointed 676 players through the sports quota, a provision not found in other states.”

“In Kerala, there is a mandatory appointment of 50 individuals under the sports quota annually. Notably, all medal-winning athletes from the National Games held in Kerala in 2015 and every member of the victorious Kerala team in the Santosh Trophy were granted appointments. This demonstrates the government’s comprehensive efforts to support and motivate sports players,” said Vijayan.

Genuine issues

Certain players and sports experts contend that the issue isn’t solely attributed to the state government. Pleading anonymity, a former top sportsman of the country highlights the uneven distribution of funds under the Khelo India project, suggesting that even the Union government is not particularly inclined to support athletes from this region. However, they feel that the issues raised by most of the players are genuine and need to be addressed.

“This controversy would have been avoided had the government been a little bit alert and considerate. We all know the state is in financial crisis and the Union government is not that friendly towards it in terms of fund allocation. But the state government should have reached out to the medal winners and at least arranged a welcome ceremony for them. That would have been enough for many of them. And obviously, some of the athletes who complain have a political motive, and even I know a few who are supportive of the BJP as a party and are against the Left regime in the state,” the sportsperson told The Federal.

Many players who are genuinely in support of the present state government too feel that the sports administration is not treading in the right direction. They point to insufficient oversight and a lack of proper follow-up actions, especially regarding infrastructure projects like building grounds and stadiums. The management of grounds under the Sports Kerala Foundation is also seen as inadequate. Supporters of Kerala sports emphasise the necessity for a complete overhaul in the approach to sports administration, advocating for comprehensive and strategic planning.