Category Archives: Sports

Do not question my commitment: Ashwini Ponnappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports
Ashwin Ponnappa

Ashwini Ponnappa’s refusal to join the national camp in Hyderabad when the doors of the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy were thrown open on August 7 garnered attention for all the wrong reasons.

She was expected to join her doubles partner N Sikki Reddy. Instead, she chose to train under U Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru with the Thomas and Uber Cup – potentially the first international badminton assignment since the All England Open Badminton Championship in March – slated to be held in October.

“It’s funny the people should criticise me for this,” exclaims Ashwini over the phone from Coorg where she is meeting her folks after months. “She (Sikki) and I have been partners for four years. I have trained in Hyderabad for four years with her, and I have barely been in Bengaluru. I don’t think anyone should question my commitment.”

Further defending her decision to stay in Bengaluru, the 2011 World Championships doubles bronze medallist said: “Performance is all that matters. I don’t think it makes sense for me to train in Hyderabad when everything is so uncertain. What people don’t realise that most of these players are from Hyderabad or at least nearby so that works for them, but should anything happen to my parents, it’s obviously easier for me to travel from Bengaluru to Coorg, as opposed to shuttle between Hyderabad and Coorg. I can’t train when I am constantly worrying about my parents.”

Ashwini, much like P Kashyap and some of the others in the camp, questioned the feasibility of the Thomas and Uber Cup. 

“When we don’t even know if this tournament is going to happen or not, what’s the point in taking the risk?” she wonders. “I am training as hard as I can and the training facility is as good as the one in Hyderabad. I am doing everything I need to. In any case, we’re not a new partnership, we should be able to train apart.

“It’s also important to have a coach who understands what I need,” she adds. 

The Badminton World Federation announced a revised Tokyo Olympics qualification guideline in May since it was unable to complete the last six weeks its one-year qualifying period scheduled to end on April 28. But with the Olympics postponed, BWF shot out a letter stating: “an extended Olympic qualification period will be introduced from Week 1-17 in 2021 and includes the select number of tournaments that were postponed, cancelled or suspended due to Covid-19.” 

“We know what we need to do. She has just tested negative and she will return to training soon. As long as we’re not slacking and have the big picture in front of us, we should be able to make it,” she says. 

Ashwini also delved into the mental aspect of being an athlete during a pandemic, stating that staying motivated was the hardest part.

“It was hard because you have lived a very different way for a very long time, but this honestly changes your perspective. It also teaches you to be grateful about the little things such as training and the value of sport,” she reveals. “I think one of the most important things to have come out of this break is that I have started loving the sport like I did when I was a kid. It’s amazing.” 

She continues: “When you play the game for so long you forget why you play is sometimes. It feels amazing to get that enthusiasm back, the enthusiasm to learn as well.” 

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / DHNS, Bengaluru / August 23rd, 2020

Robin Uthappa announces Sports School’s nat’l cricket scholarship programme

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports

The Sports School, under the mentorship of veteran India cricketer Robin Uthappa, and in association with Center.

Bengaluru :

The Sports School, under the mentorship of veteran India cricketer Robin Uthappa, and in association with Center for Cricketing Excellence (CCE), on Tuesday, announced a scholarship programme for students across India.

“Cricket has tremendous potential and India is a goldmine of talent. Our scholarship program at The Sports School is a wonderful opportunity to train under a specialized curriculum built by us, under the guidance of our expert coaches and keeping in mind our world class facility,” Uthappa, chief mentor at The Sports School, said.

“As the Chief Mentor, I am excited about the journey as our programme, our team and our infrastructure is built to foster future cricketers for India.”

This Cricket Scholarship Program will be offered to students in the U-14, U-16, and U-19 age categories and will be handed out on the basis of their potential in the sport. The last date to apply for the scholarship will be August 20. IANS

source: http://www.sentinelassam.com / The Sentinel / Home> Sports / by Sentinel Digital Desk / August 12th, 2020

Big bubble in the Big Apple: Rohan Bopanna on life in the new normal

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinion

Rohan Bopanna, India’s doubles specialist, provides a peek into the stringent regulations for the US Open, which will be played without spectators from August 31 in the renowned Flushing Meadows

Rohan Bopanna with his coach Scott Davidoff and physio Gaurang Shukla in New York, where he will play at the ATP Masters this week. (Source: Rohan Bopanna/Instagram)

The layover in Frankfurt, from Bangalore en route New York was quite short. “About an hour,” estimates Rohan Bopanna. There wasn’t much time to spare after de-boarding and proceeding to the next gate. In queue though, he noticed a number of familiar faces, fellow tennis players lining up to board the same plane that was to take them to the US Open.

A veteran now on the tour, Bopanna is accustomed to bumping into colleagues at airports. He’s longed to see his ‘family’ on tour for five months. And now that he did, a new reality sunk in. “Dominic Thiem, Dennis Novak, Mate Pavic, Marc Polmans, Alexander Bublik, Radu Albot…” he starts listing. “Everybody was wearing a mask, so you have to give it a closer look to see if that’s the person you think it is. It’s a guessing game. But everyone just greeted each other with an elbow tap. It was good to see them.”

The last time Bopanna boarded a plane was back in March, when he waited for hours at Doha airport to catch a flight home. On that occasion, he wasn’t allowed to leave the airport for over 17 hours, one of the Qatar government directives against the Covid-19 pandemic .

Things have become a bit smoother since then, which is why the tennis tour could consider reopening. But the protocol has become much more stringent. Masks are now as important as a tennis racquet.

And when entering the bio-secure bubble in New York, things would be a lot different.

The USTA has decided to shift the Western and Southern Open – an ATP 1000 Masters and WTA Premier event usually held near Cincinnati – to the same venue as the US Open, and scheduled it just a week before the major. The idea is to provide a three-week window for the two events, and create a safety bubble where players are restricted to only the hotel and the venue – in some cases, players like Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have been provided rented accommodation at predetermined locations.

But the difference in the US Open this year could be seen from as early as the drive to the hotel from the airport.

“We weren’t driving through skyscrapers like we normally would, but instead going through open space. We weren’t going to be staying in Manhattan, the hotel this time is in Long Island,” says world no. 37 Bopanna. “This is the first time I’ve been to New York but nowhere close to Manhattan. There is a shuttle every 15 minutes from the hotel and courts and back, but it’s an hour’s drive, even on a Sunday.

Covid-19 test

The US Open is scheduled to begin August 31 without spectators and players like Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Bianca Andreescu, and Ashleigh Barty. (Source: File)

Immediately after check-in, players were put through a Covid-19 test and instructed to remain in their rooms until the result of the first test came – no exceptions. Bopanna landed on a Saturday and was tested for the second time on Monday. There on, he will be tested every fourth day.

Though he tested negative, Bopanna’s not allowed to leave the hotel. “There are signboards everywhere, we aren’t even allowed in the hotel parking lot because that’s outside the bubble. Everywhere we go we have to have our mask and credentials on,” says the 40-year-old, who won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles title.

At Flushing Meadows, the venue, too, has been altered. Since the tournament will be played behind closed doors, fan parks have been converted into player lounges, and there are a number of activities set up around the grounds. “Mini golf, basketball, pool tables, arcade games… The whole place has a relaxed atmosphere now because you can walk anywhere,” he says.

The regular changing rooms too have become a bit decongested because the top 32 seeds from the men’s and women’s draws have been allotted what would have been the hospitality suite inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. As many as 67 of the 80 suites have been provided for the seeded players, complete with a massage table.

There are certain dos and don’ts, however. “You aren’t allowed to keep anything in the locker room when you’re not there. So only if you’re getting treatment with the physios, or taking a shower, you can keep stuff there. All other times you have to take everything with you,” Bopanna says.

The rules this time reflect the simple philosophy that you’ve come here for business – tennis – and that’s all you will do.

This is a grim reminder of the current times, the new normal inside the bubble that players have to make peace with.

In the absence of crowds, Bopanna’s only support will be from his coach Scott Davidoff and physio Gaurang Shukla. At the entrance of the Arthur Ashe Stadium – the world’s largest tennis arena – is a quote by Ashe himself. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Tennis / by Shahid Judge / Mumbai / August 23rd, 2020

‘Mixed feelings’ as Bopanna flies to USA to return to Tour

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinion

The doubles world No. 37 is the only Indian who will play the ATP 1000 Cincinnati Open, which marks the return of the men’s ATP Tour after a five-month break.

Rohan Bopanna will fly around 8,000 miles from India to the US before covering half of that distance next month to go from the US to Europe, touching down on three countries in a span of a month-and-a-half during a pandemic. All this to play just four tournaments.

It’s an unusual itinerary, for professional tennis players normally club together a bunch of tournaments in one continent in a season. But in the current scenario, Bopanna, India’s highest-ranked tennis pro, will partner Canadian rising star Denis Shapovalov to play the ATP Cincinnati Open (from August 22) and the US Open (August 31) in New York, the Rome Masters (September 14) and the French Open (September 27) in Paris before returning home.

The doubles world No. 37 is the only Indian who will play the ATP 1000 Cincinnati Open, which marks the return of the men’s ATP Tour after a five-month break while also acting as a curtain-raiser to the hard-court Grand Slam at the same venue.

“Mixed feelings about being back (on the Tour),” Bopanna said over phone before taking his flight from Bengaluru to New York early Saturday morning. “I have a daughter who is now going to be 15 months old, so it was special spending time with her and being with her at home.

“I love competing and am really happy to be back. Having said that, the tournaments will feel different with no people watching. There are so many restrictions with the US Open in terms of the (halved) doubles draw and no singles qualifying. So, yes, it’s a Grand Slam, but it’s kind of a closed Grand Slam. So I’m not really sure what to expect,” he added.

For a long time, the 40-year-old also wasn’t sure if he would make the journey to New York, with different travel and quarantine restrictions in place. But once India started limited flights to USA and the participating players at the US Open were promised a waiver of the quarantine period, Bopanna decided to give it a shot despite the reservations.

“Initially nobody was sure because we don’t have any firsthand information about how things are planned there. We are only reading and receiving information. But once they put in place the protocols and logistics of how everything was going to be carried out, it made it a little easier to make the decision to travel. The main thing was the flights had to open up in India,” he said.

Bopanna took a Covid-19 test on Wednesday – which returned negative – before his flight. He will be tested again once he checks into the designated hotel in Queens and enters the bio bubble before a range of regulations and restrictions kick in. “I’m going with an open mind. Once we get there I think we’ll have a better idea of how things are. But there will be no access to Manhattan or any restaurants or anything else. It’s just tennis courts and back. So I’ll kind of be in another lockdown, only this time in New York!” Bopanna said.

The US Open might be on but it will lack in flavor. A number of top-100 players, including the men’s and women’s singles defending champions, have pulled out while both the tournaments in New York will be played behind closed doors.

“Not at all surprised that some players have decided not to go,” the 2017 French Open mixed doubles champion said. “It’s a purely personal decision; I don’t think anybody can be held for that. Everyone has different thoughts on the situation. But that’s the beauty of our sport—you can make your own call.”

Bopanna was the first tennis pro to resume training in India, hitting the courts in Bengaluru in June before recurrences of the lockdown in the state disrupted his continuity. He feels his preparation after a long break has been adequate but is going to take it one game at a time.

“Physically I’m feeling great. I’ve been doing a lot of Iyengar Yoga, which has enhanced my physical strength. I’ve been practising in my academy for the past three weeks, both on clay and hard courts. So in terms of hitting the ball, I feel fine. Clearly, no one will be match-sharp. We just have to take things, literally and absolutely, one match at a time. There’s no point thinking too far ahead,” he said.

There sure isn’t. Tournaments continue to get cancelled and there is no certainty about how the Tour will shape up after the French Open ends in October. Bopanna thus wants to treat this two-month phase like the start of a fresh season wherein players play a tournament or two before heading straight into the year’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open.

“It’s the same scenario here. It’s very difficult to say how it’s going to be and there’s no point pre-guessing it. All I know for a fact now is that once I leave, I won’t be coming back immediately. I’ll play all the four tournaments, return to India and get quarantined,” he said.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Tennis / by Rutvick Mehta, Mumbai / August 16th, 2020

Having right mindset important for Team India in next 1 year, says Raghunath

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

Bengaluru :

The Indian men’s hockey team must treat the next one year as a countdown to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, feels former drag-flick specialist VR Raghunath.

“I think the team must take this period as a one year countdown, and forget everything that’s happened in the last 6-8 months. It is time to start afresh,” said Raghunath.

The former defender, who was part of some of India’s finest victories including the 2014 Asian Games gold medal and FIH Champions Trophy silver medal in 2016, further said that the six-week break would have helped the players recharge.

“The six-week break was ideal for the players to return to the national camp feeling fresh. The Indian team’s fitness is top class and they will continue to build on this plus point the next one year but having the right mindset in their approach and staying mentally positive will be very important,” he said.

Putting things into perspective, Raghunath explained, “How the players cope mentally in this new scenario, how they approach every day mentally and once they start training and playing matches, how they will cope with the pressure and the results will matter a lot.

“Usually in the lead up to the Olympics, the last 6-8 months pass by really fast and the team must be absolutely prepared physically and mentally.”

Commenting about the team’s defence, Raghunath said India’s current backline can challenge the best teams in the world.

“They are very experienced and the current set of defenders have about 50-80 caps together. They know each other very well and I don’t see them having any problems even when they are put in a tough match-situation against any top team in the world,” said the Coorg-lad who continues to actively take part in domestic hockey.

He further highlighted that young dragflicker Harmanpreet Singh has matured as a player and with good support from senior compatriot Rupinder Pal Singh, India can produce lethal PC attack.

“Having two top dragflickers who can play full match is an advantage for India. Both Harmanpreet and Rupinder are equally good and they have completely different execution and qualities.

“Having various options and combinations in drag flick is always good. Plus, India has good options in Varun Kumar and Amit Rohidas who can be great support when one of the two top flickers are having a rough day,” opined Raghunath.

source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld.com / Home> Sports / by IANS / August 06th, 2020

The Joshna Chinappa interview | ‘It’s exciting to be back on court’

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

The World No 10 in squash, who resumed practice at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai on Monday after more than four months.

Indian squash star Joshna Chinappa (File | PTI)
Indian squash star Joshna Chinappa (File | PTI)

Chennai :

Joshna Chinappa heaved a sigh of relief when the Tamil Nadu government announced last week that athletes can train at the stadiums.

The World No 10 in squash, who resumed practice at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai on Monday after more than four months, feels it’s important not to burn out in order to get back in shape too quickly.

In an interview with The New Indian Express, the 33-year-old opens up on finding purpose in training, staying focussed for the 2022 Commonwealth and Asian Games and the role of her sports psychologist during these difficult times. Excerpts:

How different was the training this time?
Having access to the academy and squash court is a relief. Right now, we are training solo. It’s just one of us on the court hitting the ball. In the last four months, everything was shut. Predominantly, my training was only at home, basic fitness training. It’s exciting to be back on the court.

Is there a sense of fear or paranoia even though in Chennai there are signs of things improving?
It (fear) is always there at the back of your mind and we should not take things like wearing a mask and sanitising your hands for granted. I just try and remember these because it’s easy to forget once you train in a public place. It’s about being more aware. But I know when I go to play, it’s a safe and secure environment.

How is your body responding to this increase in training load?
Doing fitness is different from playing. My body is pretty bruised up (laughs). It is slowly getting used to it. But I just feel, in another few days or in a week’s time, I should be able to play a bit more fluently. I think I need two weeks of consistent practice and strength training to get back into rhythm.

What are the challenges of starting afresh?
For me, it’s about finding the purpose of training right now. (And decide) Should I push myself hard or keep my fitness at a good level or play squash as much as I can. It’s important not to burn out when I train hard every day. But there is no tournament in sight currently. The challenge is in figuring out how to train correctly and efficiently so that I can look after my body and when the Tour does start, I will still be fresh to play for a few years.

You said a month ago, there was no motivation to train…
I believe things will start again, if not this year, at least by January. For me, Commonwealth Games (CWG) and Asian Games have always been the biggest motivation for the last few years. I’ve a plan to train and compete at the 2022 CWG and Asiad. It’s important to keep training and stay focussed.

Did having a sports psychologist help you get through this phase?
Having a sports psychologist has played a huge role in my game. I’ve worked with someone for the last 10 years. He is also a squash player, so he understands my game. For me, there are two people that I trust with my game – my coach and psychologist (both based in the UK). It’s nice to have someone to speak to, to bounce ideas off and to keep your perspective as positive as possible. Especially, during times like this when things are challenging, mentally.

When do you think Indian players will be okay with taking part in events abroad?
Right now, things are looking hard. Travel is not sorted out. Our Tour is trying to put together something from September or October onwards. But again, nothing is confirmed. Things are changing every couple of weeks. I personally don’t feel like competing till October or November, if at all. Some tournaments have been cancelled. It’s a little grey.

Do you see tournaments happening in India this year?
I actually asked the federation about this. They are keen to start something when things get better. As I said, it’s all about how the situation is – travel, quarantine period and safety measures have to be considered. All it takes is one person to stop the tournament completely, be it domestic or international. It’s important to try and wait a little bit. Let people first get back to training. Hopefully, when the situation gets better, we can start off with low-key domestic tournaments.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Others / by Srinidhi PR / Express News Service / August 05th, 2020

After Almost Five Months Of Forced Break, Joshna Seeks Access To Squash Court

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

India’s highest-ranked squash player Joshna Chinappa is hoping to get access to courts sooner than later after almost five months away from the game.
JosnaKF31jul2020

India’s highest-ranked squash player Joshna Chinappa is hoping to get access to courts sooner than later after almost five months away from the game even though the sport’s national body has ruled out any activity till September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, Squash Racquet Federation of India (SRFI) secretary and former national coach Cyrus Poncha had told PTI that he does not see any tournament being conducted before September. According to him, chances of resumption of training at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai were also very low.

Joshna seeks access to squash court

” Joshna is, however, keen to get back to the courts.

“It is not easy, not being able to get back on court. It is soon going to be five months since I have not been on a court. I personally love training at the academy (ISA). Just hope that as top athletes, we do get to train before September.

“It is important because we are preparing for something really big eventually (2022 CWG and Asian Games). It is important to be able to be to connected to the game. Hope we are allowed to play in a controlled atmosphere, an hour a day or something like that,” said Joshna, who broke back into the world’s top-10 earlier this month. ”

The coronavirus case count continues to rise rapidly in the country but a lot of top athletes have resumed training under strict safety protocols set by the Sports Authority of India. Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai have been badly hit by the virus and all three are major squash centres. Following the central government guidelines on the resumption of training, the Tamil Nadu government too allowed the reopening of stadiums and sports complexes without spectators. However, most sporting facilities in Chennai, including the ISA, remain shut. Joshna, who entered the world’s top 10 for the first time in 2016, is back in the group following the unexpected retirement of world number one Raneem El Welily last month.

” It is my hardwork and a bit of luck that has got me here but I want to prove it on court, beating the top players consistently,” said the 33-year-old, who has been on a strict fitness regime since the began lockdown in March.

Image credits: Twitter / PTI

source: http://www.republicworld.com / RepublicWorld.com / Home> Sports News / by Press Trust of India / July 18th, 2020

It’s very hard because of the uncertainty: Joshna

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, World Opinion

India's ace squash player Joshna Chinappa (left) recently broke into the top-10 of the women's world ranking. FILE PHOTO
India’s ace squash player Joshna Chinappa (left) recently broke into the top-10 of the women’s world ranking. FILE PHOTO

Joshna Chinappa has experienced a hankering to return to the squash court once before. It was when she tore her ACL (anterior crucial ligament) in 2012. She was out of action for 10 months then.

This time, by admission, the 18-time national champion is at her fittest – reflective in her jump to No.10 in the latest issue of world rankings – and yet, all she can do is attach therapeutic significance to household chores while hoping for the Covid-19 pandemic to subside.

“Initially, it was fine because as an athlete you console yourself, saying it’s the break you deserve, and that it’s all going to return to normal soon,” Joshna tells DH. “…but after the first few weeks, it became very hard because of all the uncertainity.Trying to stay fit in a small space isn’t easy. More importantly, you don’t even know what you’re training for. Usually, you have a tournament, a goal you’re working towards. This time, there isn’t one, but you do it because you don’t want to start from scratch when the sport returns.”

Going by Professional Squash Association’s announcement from a few of weeks ago, the tour should restart mid-August. By that, Joshna, who last played in Egypt in March before hurrying back to India upon news of the virus outbreak, will have not have played in five months. She, however, reckoned it’s going to be a lot longer before resumption.

“It will take some time to get back, especially a sport like squash because there is quite a bit of contact with the opponent. There are so many guidelines which need to be followed if we’re back to competing again,” says the 33-year-old.

“I don’t see us returning to the court till October or November, and even then it will be vastly different from what it used to be.” she adds.

While the PSA has remained tight-lipped about its SOPs, Joshna offered glimpses, saying the tour is likely to enforce stringent testing measures and play without crowds.

“I also think they will host several tournaments in one location. What that does is keep all the players and support staff in one area. This way we can be monitored better,” she says. “Even then there will be a fear among athletes to compete. It’s going to be difficult to break away from that but I think we should just get on with it.

“I don’t think we’re properly safe until they come up with a vaccine, but we can’t endlessly wait for that to start living once again,” she opined.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Sports> Other Sports / by Roshan Thyagarajan, DHNS-Bengaluru / July 13th, 2020

Joshna Chinappa breaks back into world’s top-10 following Raneem El Welily’s retirement

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Joshna Chinappa, who has not played since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moved up a spot to be in 10th position.

Indian squash star Joshna Chinappa (Photo | Joshna Chinappa Instagram)
Indian squash star Joshna Chinappa (Photo | Joshna Chinappa Instagram)

New Delhi :

India’s squash star Joshna Chinappa has broken back into the top-10 of the PSA world rankings following the shock retirement of Egyptian world number one Raneem El Welily.

Joshna, who has not played since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moved up a spot to be in 10th position.

The 33-year-old had entered the top-10 for the first time in 2016.

Dipika Pallikal is the other Indian female player who has achieved the feat.

Egypt’s Nouran Gohar is the new world number one following Raneem’s retirement.

Raneem had held the top spot for 19 months before announcing a sudden retirement last month.

India’s top male player Saurav Ghosal remains 13th in the latest rankings.

The PSA tour is suspended until at least mid-August due to the coronavirus outbreak.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sport> Other / by PTI / July 08th, 2020

One-state-one-unit rule leaves Bengaluru Hockey Association, Hockey Coorg in a fix

Sports

The rule means Hockey Karnataka will now be the only team representing the state in the national championships.

Hockey India chief Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad (Photo | Hockey India Twitter)
Hockey India chief Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad (Photo | Hockey India Twitter)

Bengaluru :

Hockey India’s one-state-one-unit rule, which came into effect from Wednesday, has left the Bengaluru Hockey Association (BHA) and Hockey Coorg worried. The two associations along with Hockey Karnataka used to field a team each in the nationals in the past. The rule means Hockey Karnataka will now be the only team representing the state in the national championships.

The national body in January wrote a letter to ten associate units, including BHA (erstwhile Karnataka Hockey Association) and Hockey Coorg, stating their membership would be withdrawn after July 1. The BHA replied immediately to the national body, asking if the status quo could be maintained and they can feature in the nationals.

They, however, were told that ‘it was the IOA’s decision’. The BHA has not heard anything so far even after writing to the Indian Olympics Association, claimed BHA secretary K Krishnamurthy.
There is a general feeling among both the BHA and Hockey Coorg that the move will make life difficult for players.

“The decision will be detrimental to the players’ interests. When it comes to Hockey Karnataka, most of the players are from DYES (Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports) and Sports Authority of India. BHA gives chances to players at the district level, who could not make it to DYES and SAI. Most of these (district) players come from humble beginnings. If there is only one team, it will be difficult for such players, who might lose interest in hockey,” said Krishnamurthy, who remains hopeful that the IOA will show some empathy and make an exception, whereby they can participate in the nationals.

If the said policy is not overturned, Hockey Coorg will also lose the right to take part in the nationals. Hockey is extremely popular in Coorg and several players including SV Sunil, SK Uthappa, Nikkin Thimmaiah, Nithin Thimmaiah, VR Raghunath among others have represented the country.

The Coorg body is primarily worried about the future of promising kids, who have it in them to make it to the top in the coming years. “When one plays at the national level, they get huge experience. It is an ideal opportunity for players to impress the selectors, which in turn can help them play for the country. With this rule, I fear for kids in the junior and the sub-junior categories. The young kids might not get much chance and they might sink into oblivion,” said B Chengappa, Hockey Coorg’s secretary.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sports> Other / by Ashwin Sunam / Express News Service / July 04th, 2020