Sports’ Shortcomings
People of Nagaland love sports, especially football. This is evident from dozens of sporting events being organised annually at various levels, from as small as khel to village, district and state, despite poor infrastructure
- People of Nagaland love sports, especially football. This is
evident from dozens of sporting events being organised annually at various
levels, from as small as khel to village, district and state, despite poor
infrastructure. This trend is encouraging, as localised sports events can be
breeding grounds for champions. It is at such events where talents are
identified. However, a look at the performance of sportspersons from the state
at the higher levels tells that something is amiss. To date, Nagaland has produced
only three Olympians: Dr. Talimeren Ao (football), Chekrovolü Swüro (archery),
and Hokato Hotozhe Sema, who won a bronze in shot put at the Paralympic Games
Paris 2024. The state’s performance at the national level is also far from
satisfactory. For instance, Nagaland managed to win only two bronze (in boxing)
medals at the 38th National Games, which concluded last week, down from 8
medals, including one gold, three silver and four bronze, in the previous
edition. A look at the state’s performance at the country’s biggest multi-sport
event over the last few years is a story of inconsistency. After winning 11
medals (including one gold and one silver) in the 33rd edition of the games,
the state managed to win only two bronze in the 34th edition, and NIL in the
following two editions. This speaks volumes about the state’s position in the
sports arena. What could be the reasons for this – poor infrastructure, lack of
support from the government and family, failure to identify and nature talents,
indiscipline, lack of perseverance, or inadequate coaching? Or is it a
combination of all these?
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- There is no denying the fact that Nagaland has a long way to
go in terms of providing world-class sports facilities. The price the state has
to pay for the prolonged negligence is here for all to see, in the form of
prolonged drought in medal winners. However, we can also see positive changes
over the years, evident from the growing number of artificial turf football
grounds and sports complexes in the state, though the government is yet to kill
the ghost of the multi-disciplinary sports complex (MDSC) in Dimapur, which has
been haunting those in power for more than a decade now. As for
government-sponsored sporting events, there is the Dr. T Ao Tournament, the
Nagaland Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the recently launched Nagaland Super
League. The facilities currently available in the state may not be the best but
the people should reciprocate the state government’s effort by making good use
of the platforms at their disposal. To excel in sports, one should have the
skill, passion, and willpower. Experts have also stressed early identification
of talents in order to maximise one’s potential. According to them, training
for most organised sports should start around the age of six, while sports like
gymnastics may require training as early as three. Going by these standards, it
is obvious that we take too long to identify the talents of our children and
hone their skills.
