Netball team mulls future post-CWG
The Indian netball team for the Commonwealth Games, have been toiling for the last two years but what dampens their excitement for a sport whose spread is still in its infancy is what next after the 12-day extravaganza ends.
The 22 women have been training since February 2008 on monthly stipends between Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,800 from the Prime Minister’s special fund on the training of athletes for the CWG. The coaching staff is also individually contracted by the Sports Authority of India till the end of October this year.
The team went on international visits to Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia for practice matches and Australia for a month-long training programme at the Australian Institute of Sports in Canberra.
“Right now our main focus is the CWG. But we do not know what we will do after that. We haven’t been told about whether we will go to play any international matches or have training for any other event. We only know that we will go to public schools in and around Delhi to offer coaching to girls there,” said Priya Dahiya, member of the senior team.
Neha Kansal echoed Dahiya’s words. “Netball is neither a part of the Asian Games nor the Olympics so only more and more participation in international tournaments like the World Championships or creating bilateral series can help save our careers.
“We were basketball or volleyball players before we took up this sport so we cannot go back to that now. With most public sector undertakings not aware of the game, we will have to rely on private companies for employment opportunities, if any,” Kansal added.
Their Sri Lankan coach Mary Mercia also does not know what her role will be after the Games end.
“I have a contract till the end of October and I was told to train the team for the CWG. I have not been told whether I will be involved with the team in any capacity thereafter,” Mary Mercia said. Apart from competing in a tri-series tournament in August end, which is likely to be named in the memory of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa there are no international tournaments lined up for the team. They will play the nationals in Gurdaspur in November.
“While top Asian teams play bilateral and multi-nation tournaments to keep the interest of the fans and sponsors in the sport alive, we lack this here. Such tournaments are sanctioned by the International Federation of Netball Associations and with each win the teams earn rating points that help them climb up in the rankings and thus get entry into premier events like the World Championships,” national coach Panchali Tatke explained.
Netball Federation of India president Gurbir Singh Sandhu admitted that there was uncertainty on the future of players but had written to Railways minister Mamata Banerjee to recruit core team members after the CWG.
“We do not have large sponsors and have to rely on government funds to run the sport. I don’t think they will discontinue their support after the CWG, after having spent crores of rupees. But I have sent a letter to the Railways minister to absorb 12 girls of the main team,” Sandhu said.
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