States Focussing on Few Sports, Aided by Corporate support, Can be a Way Forward: Viren Rasquinha
Viren Rasquinha, Managing Director & CEO of Olympic Gold Quest, points towards states focussing on two to three sports in which they are dominant, as the way forward for Indian sport to grow. He uses Norway and Belgium as examples of sporting success.
The ex- India men’s hockey captain and Olympian explains that corporates can be tapped for support by respective states and also what corporates are looking for before evaluating approaches for sponsorship. Inter-state events like the Khelo India Youth Games, the National Games can guide states about choice of sports to focus on and make an impact.
If a small nation like Belgium is picking a few sports and going really deep, in a diverse country like India, I think that is what every state can concentrate on. Rather than trying to do well in 10 disciplines, states can pick two or three sports where they can make a deep impact. For example, my state Maharashtra has such a rich hockey culture, if we have a long-term plan, hockey is surely one sport we can go deep into and historically have done really well. I have not analysed other sports which can be the focus of attention here, Maharashtra have produced international quality runners in long distance, so one section in athletics can be chosen.
Haryana has done really well in wrestling, boxing, and women’s hockey.
The north-eastern states excelled in football, boxing, judo, taekwondo for example. If every state can focus on three or four sports and go deep, work closely with corporates in that state towards getting support for long-term plans, I think this is something Indian sport can deeply think about.
On the way ahead to put such plans into action:
It gives them an opportunity to invest in sport for the long-term.
This does not mean the state does not support outliers… weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, gymnast Dipa Karmarkar are outliers. Exceptional performers like them are examples, who can continue to be supported, even if that sport is not traditionally strong in their state.
On performances at inter-state events like Khelo India Youth Games, the National Games as indicators:
National level competitions are a good indicator of where a specific state stands. The Khelo India Youth Games 2022 (Haryana), the National Games 2022 (Gujarat) were organised in a praise-worthy manner towards providing a national platform for sporting talent, developing sport across the country.
I think what corporates want is not for the sporting fraternity to go with a begging bowl. The corporates want the sporting fraternity to come with a plan. Part of that plan is to have a strong team of the right sporting minds to guide them in the right direction.
On Odisha’s reputation as a sporting state and success in attracting corporates:
We are saying that it may be easy for Odisha today (to attract corporate support). It has taken them 10 years of investing in specific sports, 10 long, hard years for us to say that it can be easy for Odisha. It starts with the vision and commitment of the state leadership, starts with appointing strong bureaucrats to ensure the operational part of sport is at a very strong level.
On what clicks with corporates when approached to support sport:
There is huge potential, we need the right attitude, the right vision from the leadership, the right bureaucrats involved. We need the best minds in sport together on the job, people with credibility, stature and the right mindset to take it forward. From personal experience at OGQ of dealing with corporate India, as long as there is credibility, there is transparency in utilisation of funds, accountability for execution of a programme and last but not the least, the programme should show impact, support for sport will happen. If these points are taken care of, there is no dearth of funds in India for any sport.
On sporting success benefits for the corporates backing the states:
Everybody sees that sport can get you the eyeballs. We understand that cricket is the number one sport in India by far, but in a nation with a billion-plus people, there will always be space for other sports to develop, there will always be eyeballs, even if the TRP is a small percentage, there will be a big number of people watching and following other sports.
On rotating the National Games across states, resulting in infrastructure created benefiting the host state:
I am all for taking important events across the country, instead of focussing on a few states. I am also not in favour of developing huge competition venues and feel that quality training facilities are more useful by giving many, many kids the opportunity to play. I go down to say that there needs to be a checklist of basics to be available at venues, the number one basic is toilets and bathrooms, especially for females. I struggle to take my daughter, my mother and my wife to competition venues in the country because basics like toilets are not available when going to enjoy watching sport. Creating many solid training centres at community level with basics in place, is more effective than massive-capacity stadiums.
NEWS18