Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 11 (EMN): Advisor to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Abu Metha on Thursday pointed out that in the arena of sports and games, being a champion in the state and national level is no longer good enough. “Success is no longer measured by the certificates, but international medals and the amount of money you earn at the international field, which is the bottom-line of success.”
"A champion of sports means being an international champion who has succeeded at the international level", said Metha, who is the Associate Vice-President of Athletic Federation of India (AFI).
"If you put in the hard work, success will come straight from you, there is no substitute for hard work, you have to sweat the extra bucket, run the extra mile then definitely you will win some day", he said.
He was addressing the opening session of the 13th Inter-district Catch Them Young Tournament, 2021 organised by the department of Youth Resources and Sports at Indira Gandhi Stadium (IGS) Kohima.
Further he told the participants that nothing is possible, especially in the field of sports. He cited the story of the Indian, Tokyo Olympic Gold Medallist Neeraj Chopra and Naga Footballer Dr. T Ao and Olympian Chekrovolu Swuro.
He asserted that sports are a multi-billion industry and shared that the government wants the children from Nagaland to be on the bus towards the sports industry wherein they become international champions.
He maintained that the Nagaland Olympic Association has streamlined and the department is making all efforts for the scientific approach of sports. Metha also said the state is hosting an international sports event- 2022 South Asian Cross Country Championships -- which is scheduled to take place on January 15 next year, while the annual general meeting (AGM) of the South Asian Athletic Federation will also be held in Kohima.
Further he informed that on Friday the President of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is landing in Dimapur. Meanwhile the president of World Athletic Federation is also landing on the same day to participate in the ongoing State Police Sports meet and lay the foundation stone for 'Nagaland Police Sports Battalion' -- the first in the state and in the country.
Moreover, Metha said that sports remain one of the top priorities of the Nagaland government.
Metha expressed his happiness to the participants who had excelled from the district-level and qualified to participate in the state- level tournament. He exhorted them to participate with discipline and exhibit their best in representing their district.
He also congratulated the department for taking the initiative despite the challenges and observing the standard operating procedures.
He maintained that the Government of Nagaland is giving utmost importance to sports and youth- based activities. He pointed out that sports come at the forefront and it is the aspiration of the state government and the Nagaland Olympic Association to produce players at the highest level of sports in the near future.
Towards this, Metha stated that the citizens of the state and all stakeholders must be investors and give effort in order to let the players and team make it to the podium. He highlighted the need to invest in infrastructure and development of sports in the state.
He pressed on the need for scientific approach towards sports -- advancement in nutrition, strength and fitness combinations, hiring of sports coaches, sports academies, centres of excellence, intensive coaching camps, and exposure events, among others -- to create an ecosystem for sports in the state and an ecosystem that would produce champions in future.
To the young sportspersons, Metha motivated them to work hard to win with no short cuts. He said,
Earlier, the director of Youth Resources and Sports (YRS), Akumla Chuba in her welcome address, said the Catch Them Young Tournament is an annual programme of the department where young talents are identified and tapped from the districts with an aim to give greater opportunity in this future. The tournament first started in 1974 and after a gap, was revived in 2007 and is now continuing.
She said that a total of 89 boys and 78 girls are participating in the tournament, along with 38 officials.