Enthusiastic gallery disturbs Randhawa
K.R. Wadhwaney
Is playing on home course and in presence of supportive throng of spectators advantageous to the player ? Many feel that the intimate knowledge of the course and encouraging gallery help the player to raise his game to dizzy heights.

• Brand ambassadors

‘Akharas’ fading into oblivion
Neeraj Bagga
The tide of time and fast changing circumstances have driven traditional ‘akharas’ into oblivion. In the modern commercial world it is rare to see a running ‘akhara’. Some decades back it used to be a significant part of Indian society.

Penalties may down-load India
Ramu Sharma

For quite some time now Indian sport has been rattled with the testing positive of two weightlifters and one athlete. The latter’s case has been mercifully resolved without the concerned athlete carrying any scars but the load of the weightlifters appears to be weighing down the Weightlifting Federation, or rather the ad-hoc body looking after the work of the apex authorities.

The problem faced by the federation is more than just how to deal with those who indulge in taking performance enhancing drugs. That is going to be a long-drawn affair not only for the Weightlifting Federation of India but also for the Amateur Athletics Federation and others. That is a national problem, needing desperate remedial measures. The problem which, however, needs to be immediately addressed by the Weightlifting Federation relates to the payment of fine imposed on the lifters tested positive.

Who is to pay the fine? If the federation takes the responsibility then it would be amounting to an admission of guilt, a damning confession that it was party to the lifter taking banned drugs. The Federation or the ad-hoc body does not have the money. The fine has to be paid either by the lifter who is ‘caught’ or the unit to which he belongs. What if the lifter does not have the funds to pay the International Weightlifting Federation?

The ad-hoc body running the show is in a fix on this issue. Madasamy, one of the lifters who tested positive in Manchester, has no funds of his own to meet the deadline imposed by the international federation. And according to Mr Balbir Singh, former heavyweight champion who is a member of the ad-hoc committee, the Railways to whom Madasamy belongs, had been approached for the necessary funds but had not responded.

Non-payment of fine could mean that India would not be allowed to take part in the competitions staged directly by the international federation. The international body is very polite but firm on this issue. It just states that those not paying the fine within the stipulated period “need not participate”.

Thus unless the Railways cough up the fine for Madasamy, there is every likelihood of India having to sit out of a number of internationals this year. This year the country’s lifters are scheduled to take part in the Junior World Championships, Senior World Championships, Junior Asian and Senior Asian Meets, Commonwealth Championships in Tonga in May and Sub-Junior World in Indonesia in June. According to Mr Balbir Singh, an all-star Asian in Qatar and a junior invitation meet in DPR Korea could be added to the list. The Commonwealth Championships in Tonga from May 1-3 requires immediate attention. The Indian team is scheduled to take part in the competition and what if the fine is not paid by then? Will the Indian team have to sit out? That is the dilemma facing the ad-hoc body.

This is a very impressive calendar facing the lifters but will they be able to take part? According to Mr Balbir Singh, participation in the Asian level meets may not be a problem as they are not being conducted by the international federation. But what about those which come directly under the international federation? It would be a pity that the whole lot of promising lifters would be denied international exposure just for the sake of one guilty lifter unable to raise a thousand odd dollars fine money.

Meanwhile, the ad-hoc body has taken some serious steps to check the consumption of drugs to enhance performance. It has asked all institutions to carry out dope tests while having all-India competition and at the same time served notice on the affiliated units warning them against fielding suspected drug-taking lifters for major meets. Mr Balbir Singh regretted that the all-India police and the services competitions held recently failed to observe the guidelines issued by the ad-hoc committee.

At this point it would be worth mentioning that the Weightlifting Federation of India is the first national sports body to start testing competitors for drugs while conducting national championships. It has been doing so for some 10 years. The athletics federation has introduced dope testing for the past two or three years, following some embarrassingly rich performances during domestic meets.

Enthusiastic gallery disturbs Randhawa
K.R. Wadhwaney

Is playing on home course and in presence of supportive throng of spectators advantageous to the player ? Many feel that the intimate knowledge of the course and encouraging gallery help the player to raise his game to dizzy heights. Some, who have studied the psychology of renowned players, are the firm belief that it is difficult to live up to expectations of home crowd and often stars fail to twinkle.

This exactly what happened in the 40th edition of the Royal Challenge Indian Open at Delhi Golf Club (DGC) course. Jyoti Randhawa, one of the seasoned campaigners and cool headed player, found enthusiastic gallery was standing between him and the title. He found he was unable to control his nerves and live up to the expectations of the friends and admirers. He squandered away the overnight slender one-stroke lead and finished joint sixth along with Arjun Atwal.

For certain inexplicable reason, Jyoti was not as relaxed and composed as he should have been. His lack of concentration and unusual state of mind saw him make a double bogey on the third hole. He hit his tee shot in the bushes on the left. He chose to hit a provisional ball but he realised that the first ball was in an unplayable position. He returned to the tee for his third shot. He was lucky that he finished with a double bogey instead of the triple bogey. He managed double instead of triple with a 12-feet putt.

This early reversal saw Jyoti stay imprisoned in his unstable mind and could not regain his ‘Derby’ form. But, after the final round, he was man enough to say that he was a bit nervous following that initial setback.

The inconsistent display of Randhawa and other leading opponents in the race for the title however did not prevent veteran Mike Cunning (USA) from raising his game to great heights. The 44 Year-old Cunning, a regular participant in the Indian Open, gave 5000 strong spectators something to rev about. Firing 10 birdies in a stunning card of eight under 64, he returned the total of 18 under 270. The score of eight under was stupendous and his aggregate of 18 under was a new course record. This was also the lowest winning score in four decades of the prestigious tournament. To win the competition is one thing but to win by five strokes was indeed remarkable. Canada’s Rick Gibson finished runner-up with a score of 275.

Never in the history of Indian Open has the crowd been so large and so spontaneous. The spectators maintained decorum while following the leaders. The players, in turn, were appreciative of the behaviour of the crowd and were in admiration of the course.

Cunning, sporting as he is, revealed that he had once finished runner-up in a major tournament at DGC. When he reached his hotel, he realised that he had submitted a wrong card. No official had found any discrepancy. But he returned to the club. He told the organisers that he had erred and returned the cheque. He sought his own disqualification. His sporting spirit and etiquette endeared him with all those who were present at the time he returned the cheque.

The tournament was very efficiently managed on and off the course. The International Management Group officials, led by Rishi Narain, and India InfoMedia were instrumental in making Shaw Wallace Indian Open a rip-roaring success.

Brand ambassadors

Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa became Mizuno’s ambassadors. Leading stars in Asia, both were spontaneous in saying that it was a delight for them to get associated with the Japanese firm which, according to them, was doing a lot in promoting golf in the country by providing equipment at reasonable price. The firm had earlier sponsored more than half-a-dozen juniors.

According to Mr Bhupendra Nagpal, Royal Sporting House Distribution India, Mizuno’s irons were best in the market.

Soon after signing as ambassadors of the Mizuno, Jeev left for Japan to play. He said he could not play in Indian Open as his mother, Nirmal, was indisposed. 

‘Akharas’ fading into oblivion
Neeraj Bagga

The tide of time and fast changing circumstances have driven traditional ‘akharas’ into oblivion. In the modern commercial world it is rare to see a running ‘akhara’. Some decades back it used to be a significant part of Indian society. However, as everything is changing with the time, gymnasiums are in vogue replacing the akhara, which used to be a grooming ground for wrestlers.

Gymnasiums appeared a few decades back and have caught the fancy of young blood. Youngsters join these gyms with great zeal. Signboards proclaiming best machinery in these gyms attract the attention of young men at a number of places in cities.

Lamenting the rapid loss of the rich tradition, Mr Hakumat Rai, a former wrestling coach said all renowned wrestlers of the country had started their careers from ‘akharas’.

He said traditional wrestling grounds were different and distinct from gyms on many grounds. Besides, producing class wrestlers ‘akharas’ used to be a platform for inculcating values in young boys. The pupils learnt how to respect their elders and tradition of ‘ustad and shagird’ was followed. Mr Rai said that almost each ‘bazaar’ used to have an ‘akhara’. But with the passage of time, the craze for ‘akharas’ reduced among the masses and a number of them had been encroached upon by residents for their own residential or commercial use. He said gyms charged a good amount from youngsters.

They provide machines which shape the body along with a music system and other luxuries. ‘Akharas’ stressed of developing the inner strength of the wrestlers whereas gyms worked on the concept of shaping the external shape of body.

Mr Vijay Kumar, a veteran wrestler who has won the ‘Bharat Kesari’ and ‘Bharat Kumar’ titles and clinched the fourth position in the Asian Games in 1978, lamented that ‘Aksharas’ were disappearing. Mr Sohan Singh, a wrestling coach and joint secretary, Wrestling Federation of India, said though ‘akharas’ were very supportive for budding wrestlers, one had to turn to play on pads. “What is the fun of preparing so hard when we do not prepare our players according to international rules’? He said ‘Akharas’ nevertheless would remain the best platform for producing complete wrestlers. The traditional system provided a wrestler an opportunity to develop the same skill, which was required at the international level. 

Cricket team lost due to own mistakes

Our cricket team lost in the final of the World Cup due to their own mistakes. Saurav Ganguly won the toss but strangely elected to field. Our boys were tired after fielding. How could one expect them to do full justice with the bat. Throughout the game the Australians hit sixes and avoided weak shots. Ganguly lacks the qualities of a captain.

— LT COL JAGDISH SINGH, PATHANKOT

II

India crashed to a humiliating defeat due to poor captaincy, bad bowling and fielding. There was no pragmatic approach and our star players surrendered tamely. The end was very painful and disappointing for thousands of Indians whose prayers remained unanswered.

— D.R. SHARDA, CHANDIGARH

Third umpire

The introduction of neutral umpires and a third umpire in cricket does not seem to have entirely achieved the purpose. In the recently-concluded World Cup, a number of matches were marked by wrong decisions. One of the most unfortunate victims of such decisions was Andy Flower who was wrongly given leg before in the match against Sri Lanka in the Super Sixes round. His departure expectedly changed the complexion of the game swinging it in Sri Lanka’s favour. I feel the services of the third umpire should be utilised more frequently. Since most of the wrong decisions pertain to lbw, it would be prudent to refer such cases to the third umpire.

— SURENDRA MIGLANI, KAITHAL

Critics silenced

The Indian cricket team failed to bring the World Cup home but their mesmerising performance in the league matches and in the Super Six stage has silenced all critics. I was confident that our players would prove their ability and would not let down their fans.

We must stand by our players and the nation is proud of them.

— SANDEEP KUMAR, CHANDIGARH