A welcome transition for athletes

By Avinash Nair

BANGALORE, JULY 4. From the mud tracks of Nagercoil to the synthetic one at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore is a transition that the Indian athletes bound for the Asian championship in Jakarta and Sydney Olympics should be happy with.

It is with the `build-up' meets that the Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI) has planned so elaborately, but failed to execute properly, that the athletes are expected to attain their peak. But the folly of having the National Domestic meets on mud tracks, is no way to help the athletes attain qualifying standards in an Olympic year.

And it is to rectify this very folly that the second leg of the Domestic meet has found its way to Bangalore from the scheduled venue in Madurai, after the rain-hit first meet was gone through at Nagercoil.

That the meet has been thrust onto the Karnataka Amateur Athletic Association (KAAA) is but stating the obvious. But now that the event is on its lap, the KAAA, which incidentally had agreed to step in in case Jakarta cries off as a venue for the Asian championship, should make a hue and cry will not get any buyers.

``We will not compromise on the technical aspects for the smooth conduct of the meet,`` said Mr. Sathyanarayana, Secretary KAAA. But the discordant note has been the prize money.

Performance-based incentive

``After prolonged meetings and consultations with Mr. Lalit Bhanot, Secretary, AAFI, it has been decided to do away with the prize money for each event. Instead, the overall `best performance' will be suitably rewarded,'' said Mr. A.K. Banerjee, Vice-President, AAFI, at a press briefing, this afternoon.

A performance-related incentive is indeed a good proposition, but the athletes need to be taken into confidence. Prize money is an attraction for any athlete and unless the rewards are there, the athletes, at least in fringe cases, will not give it a shot, which in turn will effect the serious contenders from giving their best.

With an ardent well wisher sponsoring to the tune of Rs 1.25 lakhs, it will be the prerogative of the AAFI to `choose' the `best performer' of the meet and distribute the award(s) as per the standard of performance. Isn't it too early in the season to give away performance-related awards? Mr. Banerjee, while lauding KAAA's readiness to conduct a `major' meet within short notice, conceded that ``it's difficult for any association to rake in a major sponsor at the eleventh hour.''

Chief coach Bahadur Singh admitted that the inadequate sponsorship amount was what prompted the AAFI to hand out prize money based on performance. But is it the answer?

Coming to the meet, all the campers presently at the SAI, South Centre, are expected to participate with the glaring exceptions of K.M. Beenamol, who bettered P.T. Usha's long- standing record in the 400 metres, and `medal hopeful' Sunita Rani. Both Beenamol and Sunita Rani are suffering from thigh strains and will miss the event, so as to be fit for the later meets.

Unlike the Nagercoil leg, the number of events of which had to be pruned down due to rain, the Bangalore leg will have 19 events - with the introduction of 200 metres for both men and women, high jump (women), 110 metres hurdles (men) being added to the list.

With the synthetic surface to help their cause the quarter-milers and sprinters should be able to improve on their performance as against the one at Nagercoil, wherein only Jebeshwari Devi and Neelam J. Singh could better their own National records.

Meanwhile, the date and venue of the third leg of the domestic meet is still undecided owing to the change in the dates of the Asian championship at Jakarta. The fourth leg is scheduled for Thiruvananthapuram but the date is yet to be finalised.

The meet, which gains significance owing to the major international events scheduled this year, will be inaugurated at 1.30 p.m.

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Section  : Sport
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