Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Their trip to the Asian Championship in Japan will cost them around Rs 75,000 each, but India’s top roller-skaters can take comfort from the fact that this will probably be the last time they’ll have to pay their way. With the government recognising the national federation, affiliation to the Indian Olympic Association is the only hurdle left for funding.
To participate at the meet, in Akita, Japan, in September, skaters have been asked to deposit the money in three instalments by July 31. This, says Roller Skating Federation of India (RSFI) president Pradeep Ganeriwala, will cover tickets, board and lodging, visa, airport tax, local transportation and miscellaneous expenses.
The virtual ultimatum — some reports suggest the skaters were given 15 minutes to decide whether they could pay by the deadline — scared off some but the response on the girls’ front has been good: 19 have already registered.
Though India holds a position of strength — ranked second in Asia in a sport that has been included in the next Asian Games at Qatar — it has long suffered from lack of recognition by the government. At the roller hockey camp in Chandigarh, skaters discussed with RSFI Coordination Committee members the issue of raising funds to take part in the Asian championship.
It was, they said, the RSFI’s duty to ‘‘sell the product’’ like cricket, roping in sponsors to reduce or remove the financial burden on the skaters.
While accepting that a comparison between cricket and skating was unfair, Indian goalkeeper Jaswinder Singh said, ‘‘I am a government employee. It is difficult to raise money every time. The RSFI should make sincere efforts to get sponsors for skating.’’
Ganeriwala, a Kolkata-based businessman and a skater of note, said the federation was working on getting affiliation with the IOA, after which the government would fund foreign trips.
Meanwhile, training for the meet is on in fullswing. Apart from the roller hockey camp in Chandigarh, a the artistic skaters are training in Ahmedabad under a German coach and the speed skating camp began today in Vishakapatnam.
