Various sport and athletics associations have taken exception to the change in the format of Dasara Games introduced from this year as they fear that it deprives potential and budding sportspersons from rural areas from showcasing their talent.
The games will be held from October 10 to 16, and 24 events including athletics, hockey, volleyball, football, swimming, kabbadi, cycling, and table tennis, will be conducted. Around 5,000 persons including sportsmen and women, coach and technical personnel, will participate.
As per the revised format brought about by the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports and the Karnataka Olympic Association, only the top 8 teams or top ranking individuals will be selected for participation in each of the 24 disciplines.
“This will close the window for sportspersons from taluk and district levels who otherwise had an opportunity to rub shoulders with the best from across the State,” C.K. Muralidharan, a veteran sports journalist from the city, said. This is a view endorsed by a budding athlete deprived of a chance to participate in the Dasara Games because only the elite will now participate. “While the team games will be played out on a league format, individual events like 400 m hurdles, 100 m hurdles, etc., will have no qualifying rounds as only the top 8 players will participate and straight away run in the finals,” he added.
However, a senior official coordinating the games said the new format which has come into vogue from this year is not without its benefits. Certificates to winners will be valid for seeking admission to various courses or jobs under the sports quota. This was not the case so far. “In addition, the cash prize is also being increased to get the best talent,” the official added justifying the revised format.
Earlier, the Dasara Games had a rural flavour and lacked standard. The revised format will not only raise the bar which will augur well for the games in the long run, the official added.
Though various associations have welcomed the increase in the prize money, recognizing the certificates for admission or recruitment under sports quota, they feel that the original objective – of providing an opportunity for rural sportspersons to participate in a competition of this scale – should be retained. Otherwise, only the best from the city will participate while the rural talent will be deprived of an opportunity, according to the association members. They will submit a memorandum to the government in due course to revert to the old format.