Date:19/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/19/stories/2007061959921700.htm

Sport

Slew of initiatives

V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: A National pool league championship, appointment of a foreign coach exclusively for pool format in the wake of its growing popularity in Asia, and a new accreditation policy, are some of the major initiatives that the Billiards & Snooker Federation of India finalised after a meeting between its top brass and the players a few days ago.

“We will soon launch the National Pool League championship, on the lines of the Premier Hockey League and the National Football League,” said Capt. P.V.K. Mohan, president BSFI, in an exclusive chat with The Hindu on Mon day.

“We are in touch with a leading sports television channel and there are quite a few sponsors also lined up for the event. We are hopeful of getting everything tied up within the next two months. Once it is streamlined, then it will be open for other Asian players also,” he added.

Specialisation

“It is also part of the BSFI policy to ensure specialisation amongst players (instead of a single player competing in different events like billiards, snooker and pool),” he clarified. “The success of Dharmender Lilly, the first Indian to qualify for the final of the recent Asian pool championship in Malaysia is proof of India’s ability to make a mark in this category also,” he added.

BSFI will start an accreditation policy which will ensure listing of all the players, officials, coaches and referees and also put into operation its website very soon.

“We want to create a cue sports constituency across the country since the Centre had also promoted it into the priority list in view of the achievements at the top level,” added Capt. Mohan.

“We have also made it mandatory for the organisers of events on the Asian circuit to invite Indians for all the big events on the circuit. This will ensure adequate exposure to more players and not just confine these events for only the top three of the country as was the case earlier,” the BSFI president added.

On the domestic circuit, Capt. Mohan said that the South Zone championship would be revived and schools would be involved in a big way. Special efforts are also on to target the software groups.