EVERY time the likes of Virender Sehwag gets a new modelling assignment, there is this usual instinctive stand about how the cricketers are focused on their bank books rather than the score cards. But if one sits back and broods by taking a holistic view of the Indian sporting system one can see that all they are doing is: making hay while the sun is shining. And since the country has an uncanny tradition of forgetting its stars and with retirement benefits for sportspersons almost non-existent, maybe making hay seems to be the smart thing to do considering the long dark days ahead.But for those who lived in an era when ‘hay-making’ in sports was out of question, life away from the sporting arena didn’t mean sitting on an easy chair and watching the sun set. Two-time former world billiards champion Wilson Jones, who is now ailing in a Mumbai hospital, is disillusioned with the general apathy to his condition.Jones is just one more instance of the fickle attitude of our authorities and the public towards sportspersons. In the 1970s, ‘hockey wizard’ Dhyan Chand, winner of three Olympic gold medallist was dumped in a general ward of the All India Institute of Medical Science after being diagnosed for lung cancer. The plight of Makhan Singh, former Asian Games gold medallist and the only athlete in India to beat Milkha Singh in his prime, truly reflects the traumatic experience of sportspersons after their prime. At his peak, Makhan was offered lucrative job as sports officer but his employer — the Army — refused to release him. After that stint, Makhan became a truck driver but had to leave the job after he lost one of his legs in an accident. Financial compulsion drove one of his sons to commit suicide and the athlete died in penury last year. One reason for such sad stories repeatedly surfacing is the absence of a comprehensive welfare schemes for sportspersons in the country. Must-read for officials THE powers-that-be in Indian sports administration can perhaps take a leaf out of the Professional Footballers Association’s book in England. The PFA is the world’s oldest professional sportsmen’s union. It was established to take care of footballers in the UK, who have had serious injuries or accidents, or have run into rough weather, and needed a helping hand or two. Almost a century into its existence the PFA is today involved in every aspect of a player’s career. The PFA employs over 250 people in key areas such as education and training for post-football careers, accidents, medical insurance and benevolent grants, coaching, financial management, contract advice and pension management for all the 4,000-odd current and 50,000-odd former members living in the UK or abroad. A fair effort by a country that evidently respects its sportspersons and what they stand for. Maybe too much to ask from their Indian counterparts if the past is anything to go by. But the first steps could at least be initiated. Support is bound to come through from various other quarters.The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) says that it does not have the fund to look after athletes after their retirement. Secretary-general Randhir Singh says, ‘‘IOA cannot do social welfare. Our role is to provide facilities for training and help them compete in Olympics and Asian Games.’’The schemes for leading sportspersons in the country under the Sports Ministry at the Centre are insufficient and limited to top-rung athletes. Under the present pension scheme applicable after the age of 30, the winner of medals at the Olympics and World Championship are eligible to receive Rs 3,000 per month while a gold medallist in Asian and Commonwealth Games will get Rs 2,000 per month. Apart from that one-time prize money of Rs 3 lakh for an Arjuna awardee, the main benefit for a winner is the free railway pass. Randhir Singh adds, ‘‘The Arjuna award is just a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The government must look after the welfare of the athletes.’’There are also schemes at the state level. For example Punjab does dole out pension to past champions but the amount is actually an insult to their achievements. There are two categories of pension — Rs 1,000 and Rs. 600 per month. But even this was discontinued for two years due to paucity of funds. When the scheme was launched in the late ’70s, it used to be Rs 200 and Rs 150 and only 76 persons were eligible to get it. ‘‘It was then known as honourarium or incentive but with the passage of time, it acquired this name of pension,’’ remembers a veteran.The Punjab government’s pension policy is in stark contrast to what the neighbouring Haryana is practising. Unlike Punjab, the sportspersons in Haryana are slightly better off and one Olympian is drawing a pension of Rs 2,000 there. The state has also included other international and national players on the eligibility list.Another flaw in the system is the implementation of its schemes. In a number of cases money fail to reach the sportspersons since the Sports Ministry does not have the correct addresses to reach them. Yashwant Singh, Director of the Arjuna Award Association (AAA) and the chairman of the Athlete Commission in the IOA, says that the booklet published by the Sports Ministry for the Arjuna awardees does not even carry the proper addresses of the winners because they are not available to them. He says, ‘‘On several occasions we had to track down the addresses and contact numbers of the award winners and forward it to the ministry.’’The IOA’s Athlete Commission and the AAA play a limited role and there are no funds to help the needy athletes. Yashwant Singh adds, ‘‘We work for the welfare of athletes who have won medals at the Olympic, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or have won the Arjuna award. Otherwise, there is no fund to help the needy athletes.’’Lastly, even the sportspersons are not organised and there is no players body to look after their common interests. Though there have been efforts to put together a body but it has been a non-starter. The latest effort came in 1999 when former Asian Games boxing champion Dingko Singh, Commonwealth Games shooting champion Jaspal Rana and thrower Anil Kumar decided to form a national association of sportspersons. But it failed to take off.(With inputs from Balbir Singh). but you can trust MilkhaBALBIR SINGHIN the absence of any substantial financial assistance to champions of the past, ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh has come to stand by them in their hour of need. Without much ado and usual fanfare, the Milkha Charitable Trust is doing its bit for athletes who fail to keep pace with life — away from the sporting arena.Even before the Trust came into being, Milkha’s philanthropy was well known. When the legendary runner Makhan Singh lost his leg in a road accident, he turned up at his house for help. Remembering that day Milkha gets emotional. ‘‘Tears rolled down my cheeks as he hugged me,’’ recalls Milkha. Later the Flying Sikh took upon himself to get Makhan’s leg operated. Makhan was the only Indian runner who has beaten Milkha in a National meet. ‘‘Milkha na hota, agar Makhan na hota,’’ Milkha has often been quoted sa saying. Milkha was also instrumental in helping veteran athlete Daljit Singh get his knee operated. Moved by an appeal by Milkha, a surgeon from Amritsar performed the knee operation of Daljit free of cost.Daljit was further guided by the Milkha family to approach the Government of India for financial assistance for getting his other knee operated. Jeev too has been playing a silent role in his father’s mission. As most of the time Jeev is playing abroad, he has instructed his parents to approach him whenever anyone asks for help. ‘‘The trust provides financial help to sportspersons and children of martyrs,’’ says Milkha Singh. ‘‘And in no way will the family be entitled to any benefit from the trust. In fact, my daughters and son Jeev too have promised to make contributions,’’ says the legendary athlete.
