Sivasagar (Assam). Assam’s first Arjuna Award winning sprinter Bhogeshwar Barua has criticized the state government’s sports policy, saying it is not doing enough to identify and nurture talent in rural areas. Baruah, gold medalist in 800 meters at the Asian Games (1966), told PTI, “It is sad to say that players are not emerging from anywhere in Assam. Earlier we used to organize camps to attract new talent, but this is not happening now.
The 84-year-old former player said that the government has appointed a lot of trainers who can be sent to the districts to organize such camps and give training, but it is not happening. He said, “If there is no coaching, how will we prepare players? If there is a sporting event, children are taken there just to participate. If there is no training or camps, how will our children progress?
Barua, who won gold and silver at the Asian Games in 1966 and 1970 respectively, accused the government of promoting only those players who have made a mark on their own. He said, “Has the government prepared any player? The government is not identifying talents and raising them from the grassroots level. Only when someone proves himself, the government comes forward. This is what is happening these days.
Barua said that no sports camp has been organized in the state for about six-seven years. He said that I have requested the concerned authorities several times to organize sports camps but to no avail. The Assam government had decided to celebrate Barua’s birthday, September 3, as ‘Sports Day’ in 2021. Barua praised Asian Games gold medalist sprinter Hima Das and Olympic medalist boxer Lovlina Borgohain, saying their success was largely due to the efforts of their parents. “There is nothing in the case of those two for which the government should take credit,” he said.