The Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) has urged the Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) minister to immediately terminate the service of the Kayaker who was appointed as the Rowing Coach under the Khelo India programme.
KKL secretary general Ngamkheingakpa Luwang on Friday told media at its office located at Paona Bazaar, Imphal West that KKL had already clarified that Kayaking and Rowing are different sports events. However, the state YAS minister expressed that the two sports events are the same.
With regards to the issue, president of Rowing Federation of India (RFI) has already asked the director general of the Sports Authority of India to immediately cancel the appointment of the Kayaker as the coach of rowing, Ngamkheingakpa Luwang said.
Ngamkheilakpa said president of the Rowing Federation of India Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, who is also a vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association, had also clarified that while oars in Rowing are fixed and rowed backwards while in kayaking, the oars are freely hand held and oared forwards. And these two different Olympic events, under no circumstances, can be identified to be the same. It is not yet known as to how the regional director of SAI Regional Centre has reacted to the RFI's letter to the SAI Director General and has brought up the matter with the Director of YAS, Manipur as yet or not. But it is pertinent that the Selection process was chaired by the Director YAS Manipur and a representative of the SAI NE Region was also present during the selection interview, he added.
The said issue was also revealed during a seminar under the topic “one day discussion on FUTURE OF SPORTS IN MANIPUR WITH FAIR PLAY” organised by the Kangleipak Kanba Lup recently at the Manipur Press Club, said KKL secretary general.
He further said there is a huge shortage of coaches in different sports due to their retirement and concerned authorities need to fill the vacancies at the earliest. There is also the need for coaches to undergo Refresher Courses and to be sent to foreign countries to hone up their coaching skills.
Ngamkheilakpa said the state government needs to quickly frame a Manipur State Sports Policy and the need to incorporate the Manipur Olympic Association while fixing guidelines for the various Sports Association in the State and also the need to appoint Consultants or Guidance Officers for every Sports discipline.
