While J&K State Sports Council honored various sportspersons during its sports conclave held at Indoor Stadium Srinagar, it has been accused of ignoring some of the top stars of the State.
During the conclave various sportspersons received awards from Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in presence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Barring few, none of the awardees included well known names. The choice made by Council has put serious question mark on its functioning as it ignored top stars like, Ishfaq Ahmad, Arun Malhotra (both football), Akber Khan (cycling), Hilal Parray (football coach), Bilquis Mir (water sports coach), Arif Khan (skiing), Adil Mohiddun, Willayat Hussain (both water sports) among others. These are all names of the players who have made J&K proud at International level in Olympic discipline sports.
While Parvez Rasool was deservedly awarded, there was another cricketer who was awarded for doing nothing during his recent national arena cricket trip. Another football coach was awarded for not helping his parent department team qualify into next round for last more than 14 years. There was also a player of Rugby discipline who was awarded and one is not aware for doing what.
“It is irony and total disrespect shown to our top stars. If you are honoring Mr Wadoo there is a player of same stature Ishfaq who should have been awarded too. If you are awarding certain football coach then there is top football coach of State who recently returned from Jamshedpur FC as their chief coach for reserve team. When you are ignoring star like Bilquis Mir then there is something seriously wrong in the Council functioning,” said a player.
A water sport player said that they felt totally ignored during the Conclave despite having made J&K proud on multiple occasions.
“It was more of political show rather than a sports function. Persons who helped them achieve political goals were awarded while those who make them proud in sports were ignored. Water sports has players like Bilquis Mir, Zahoor Latoo, Adil Mohiddun and current sensation Willayat were not even mentioned,” said a water sport players.
“We want to ask Council official’s one question that what had these players done for State. Barring few none deserved it while those who deserved were ignored,” they added.