C'Wealth Games: Three selected from Madhya Pradesh for Indian squad

Only three sportspersons have been selected from Madhya Pradesh for the Indian squad which will represent the country in next month's 19th Commonwealth Games (CWG) to be played in New Delhi.

All the three players are part of men's squad while no women sportsperson from the state gets a place in it or the games which are scheduled to be held from October 3 to 14.

Of these two players will represent in athletics while one in Hockey.

Ankit Sharma represents India in Long Jump event, Sandeep Batham participate in 5000m race and Shivendra Singh (Forward), who performed well during the 2010 World Cup Hockey matches in New Delhi, has been chosen for Indian Men's Hockey team.

A total of around 600 players from all over the country have been choosen to compete in the 2010 CWG games in various events including boxing, wrestling, athletics, tennis, hockey, badminton, gymnastics, archery and shooting.

Thus, the participation of players in Indian squad from Madhya Pradesh is merely 0.5%.

Recently the state received the national prize for establishment and management of sports academies of excellence.

However, the office-bearers of the Madhya Pradesh Olympic Association were embroiled in a battle with each other for their vested interests in its Annual General Body (AGM) meeting on September 10 here rather than raising the issue of thin presence of players in the CWG games and what efforts should be taken to increase their number in future.

Though only three players will take part from the state in these games, a number of office-bearers are trying to go for them on government expenditure.

Reacting to this, Madhya Pradesh sports and youth welfare department director, Sanjay Choudhari said that all players who are getting training in the Madhya Pradesh state sports academy in various games are of junior level presently.

Choudhary said that the Academy was opened only three years ago and results cannot be expected in this short time. 

"In the next three years, most of our players will become senior. Then good players will emerge in the state academies and automatically the participation ratio of Madhya Pradesh will increase in national and international level competitions including Commonwealth Games," he opined.

Choudhary said that he was trying his best in this regard and if the Sports Associations cooperate with the government, the number of good players would definitely increase.