In latest years, a plethora of points associated to bad governance in Indian sports have cropped up. Whether it is lack of transparency, favouritism, poor remedy of athletes or points associated to harassment, the issues have endured for much too lengthy.

One of the most recent occasions to focus on this situation is the ongoing wrestlers’ protest, which must be seen as a wake-up name for change.

Wrestlers from throughout the nation have been staging a sit-in protest on the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding resignation and arrest of the incumbent Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. They have filed an FIR on the Connaught Place Police Station for alleged sexual harassment in opposition to girls wrestlers, together with a minor.

The protest, which resumed on April 13, has gained assist from numerous sports activities organisations and athletes, together with Olympic champions Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra, Cricket World Cup winner Kapil Dev amongst others.

This protest just isn’t an remoted incident, however moderately a mirrored image of the bigger points going through Indian sports activities.

The downside inside sports activities federations

The nation’s sports activities federations are sometimes criticised for being poorly managed, with allegations of corruption, nepotism, and favouritism. The choice course of for nationwide groups and funding for athletes are sometimes opaque, leaving many gifted athletes with out alternatives.

One of the principle points is the shortage of autonomy of the National Sports Federations (NSFs). The federations are supposed to control and handle their respective sports activities, however they’re typically managed by politicians and bureaucrats who’ve little or no expertise in sports activities administration. As a outcome, selections are sometimes made based mostly on private pursuits moderately than the welfare of the game or the athletes.

Another situation is the shortage of funding and assist for athletes. Despite the federal government’s claims of accelerating funding for sports activities, athletes typically battle to make ends meet. They are anticipated to cowl their very own bills, together with coaching, gear, and journey, which will be prohibitive for a lot of.

The COVID-19 pandemic solely exacerbated these points, with many athletes finally calling it a day and searching for different choices for make ends meet.

Way ahead for Indian sports activities administration

And this is the reason the continued wrestlers’ protest is a wake-up name for change in Indian sports activities. It highlights the pressing want for transparency, accountability, good governance and the necessity to create a secure house for athletes – particularly girls athletes.

The authorities and sports activities authorities should be aware of the athletes’ calls for and work in the direction of addressing their issues. The NSFs should be made extra autonomous and accountable, with skilled professionals appointed to supervise their administration.

Funding and assist for athletes should even be elevated, with a deal with guaranteeing that they’ve entry to the assets they should compete on the highest degree. This consists of funding for coaching, gear, and journey, in addition to monetary help throughout occasions of disaster, such because the COVID-19 pandemic.

In conclusion, the wrestling protest is a transparent indication that dangerous governance in Indian sports activities must be addressed urgently. The authorities and sports activities authorities should take concrete steps in the direction of guaranteeing transparency, accountability, and good governance. Only then can India actually change into a sporting powerhouse and fulfil the aspirations of its gifted athletes.