Apart from cricketers, we have other sportsperson too who needs attention

The Commonwealth games 2010 has showcased India on the sporting global map. The performances of the Indian athletes are going to be talked about for a long time. It has showed that cricket is not the only sport that exists in India. Athletes from different sports like Weightlifting, Boxing, Badminton, Tennis, Shooting etc has made a mark for themselves. Still, it is surprising that these Athletes lack respect when compared to our cricketers.

In India, cricket is considered to be a religion and its players as god. On the contrary, other sportspersons are not even known to the Indian population. Are we to blame the media for it? It’s very rare for us to see or hear stories about other sports. Even a victory at the shooting world championship will not get that coverage which a normal cricket match would. To be fair to the media, they publish those stories that people would like to know about and also which would sell. Cricket seems to be ruling the roost in the sports page.

Another drawback for these sports is that they do not have many sponsors rooting for them. All major sponsors find cricket to be their best choice. There have been instances when tournaments (not cricket) have been postponed or sometimes scrapped due to lack of sponsors.

Talking about infrastructure, it still needs to be improved. CWG 2010 has helped in rebuilding the infrastructure. Still it is not up to international standards. A top quality infrastructure needs to be built if we are to achieve success in the international scenario. The government must look into this regard and lend a helping hand. These athletes can bring laurels to the country.

There is no dearth of talent in India. A committee has to be set up which would identify talent and groom them to future international stars. Special attention has to be given while dealing with players from North East India and rural villages where raw talent is found in abundance.

The most discouraging fact for these sportsmen is the cash reward that is presented to them. It stands peanuts when compared with the money cricketers earn. With the advent of Indian Premier League, the youngsters are leaning towards cricket where fast money lies.

Cricket is the most popular and most watched sport in India. It’s a long way ahead than other sports in India. Times are changing with sports fans also giving importance to other sports apart from cricket. It would be great if any sport would stand in the same boat and give stiff competition to cricket. Still, it seems to be a distant dream.