Twenty nine World titles, 13 Asian crowns and 15 Asian Games medals are just not enough for the Sports Authority of India to support a sport in the country.
In a shocking move, SAI has written to the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI), stating it would not be granted funds henceforth.
This effectively means that a sport which is steeped in history, virtually or rather financially, ceases to exist as far as SAI is concerned. A sport which has produced world champions like the late Wilson Jones (India’s first world champion in any sports discipline), Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani will now be shunned with no funding for players’ participation in international events like the World and Asian Championships, grants for preparatory camps and appointment of foreign coaches.
“Since billiards and snooker disciplines are neither a part of the Asian Games 2014 nor an event recognised in Olympics 2016 or 2020, taking into account, I’m directed to inform you that financial support under NSF (National Sports Federation) may be stopped to BSFI from now onwards,” SAI said in a circular.
But what one fails to understand is why cue sports, which produced India’s first world champion in 1958, has fallen out of favour with SAI, which funded the sport even before its inclusion at the Asian Games in 1998?
Reacting to the circular, S.Balasubramanium, secretary, BSFI said, “The BSFI president met the Director General of SAI earlier this week and presented our case. We are hoping for a positive outcome.”
While funds from SAI may have dried up, the same may not hold good as far as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is concerned. According to the Sports ministry sources, the move by SAI will have no bearing on rewards, cash awards for cueists in accordance with the government schemes and grants to the federation for hosting national and international events.
But the move has hit the cueists hard and the first to be affected by this will be the Bulgaria-bound Indian contingent for the World Snooker Championship slated for next month. The team includes Kamal Chawla, Brijesh Damani, Vidya Pillai and Arantxa Sanchis.
Chawla, who is spearheading India’s challenge, said, “It is very sad that a sport which has brought the most world titles to the country will have no funding from SAI. What SAI has to realise is that it is not our fault that we are not a part of the Asian Games. At the end of the day we represent India not BSFI, so why treat us differently from other sportspersons? As far as the World snooker meet is concerned, BSFI is doing its best, and I will also look at finding financial assistance. It’s indeed tragic, that a legacy which started in 1958 has no takers in SAI. It is very alarming, tragic and too hard a decision on the players and the BSFI. I can't understand why a move like this was made just because the sport is not at Asiads.”
The last team to be cleared by SAI is the contingent for the IBSF World Billiards championships to be held at Leeds, England from Oct. 18-28.
The new rule will mean If BSFI wants to hire a foreign coach it has to do so at its own expense.
Players expense including airfare, boarding, lodging and daily allowance will not be borne by SAI National and preparatory camps will not be funded by SAI.