Blogging Matters!!! : The Extra Report

Day 49.

This is the auxiliary run down of the 3rd Global Sports Summit by FICCI. I've already covered the 2 days of seminar in my anterior blogs. But this one contains the unprecedented session which took place on Day 1 and it's a session which cannot really be overlooked.
So, without further ado, here's for y'all, the extra report. -

1.) Mr. R V Khanna, Senior VP, FICCI -

• Sports Federations in India are classified as NGOs, they don't come under RTI (Right To Information) Act. Its only appropriate that they should be accountable. On one side there is regulatory framework, on the other side there is autonomy also, so you need a balanced framework.
• We would like to see FICCI involved beyond cricket. Sport distinguishes between national identity. Sport is also as much a part of education as any other academic stream.

2.) Sonali Chander, Sports Editor & Anchor, NDTV -

• It is admirable on the part of Mr. Ajay Maken to bring the Bill despite the differences with his own party members.
• Larger issue is the accountability of Federations. People are saying that Mr. Maken has climbed down due to the pressure by the BCCI.
• We have IOC, saying that Indian Government is trying to take over, regulate sports federations. What is Mr. Sharad Pawar, BCCI, scared of?, about RTI?

3.) Mr. Ajay Maken, Minister of State, Sports & Youth Affairs -

• There are many other initiatives that are overshadowed due to the Sports Bill. One of these is the requirement of sport personnel, coaches.Our National Sport Institute in Patiala had only 173 coaches from 1980-2008.
• I went to China about 15 days back. They have a Chinese Institute of Sports Sciences. They have different departments fro every aspect, sports psychology, sports medicine,etc. We have decided to form a National School of Sport Sciences. By the end of November this will be registered into Societies Act.
• We are trying to give more power to sports persons. We are asking for Athlete's Advisory Council, of athletes who represented their sport. We are asking for 25% reservations. We are asking for tenure norms.
• In the last 3 years we have spent 453 crore rupees or $100 million in sports. We would like sports federations to work in more autonomy. Had this bill in place, Mr. Kalmadi would not have been the Chairperson of the IOA. I don't think there is any substitute to RTI. Transparency in financial functioning is badly required.