Now that both the Olympic Games and the Paralympics are well behind us, and we have finished voicing disappointment (or elation), we as a nation need to give serious thought to the status of sports in education. Abhinav Bindra has quite rightly commented in a national newsmagazine that we are confused about what kind of sporting nation we are, and what kind of sporting nation we would like to become. He goes on to say that we must invest adequately in sports if we want more medals or be an Olympics top-ranker. But if we feel there are other pressing priorities, we shouldn’t grumble about our “poor performance”. In any case, it is universally accepted that in order to excel in sports, the relevant education and training must begin fairly early in life.
Sports must be seen as an intrinsic part of the school curriculum and not just an “extra” activity that a reputed school is expected to offer. Parents today do realise the importance of “extra-curricular” activities, but these, as the name suggests, are not at par with academics. This is not a desirable state of affairs. Physical fitness courses, sports and other activities must be embedded in every school educational programme to ensure every child’s all-round development. At present the scenario is showing signs of improvement but there is still no indication that we are a fitness-conscious or sports-loving people. Many Indians may be interested in watching competitive sports. And no one will question our enthusiasm when thousands of fans in stadiums across the land, and millions of television viewers, cheer and clap or groan and moan in tune with the fortunes of the Indian cricket team when it is playing against another country.
Many watch international football or great tennis players in action during Grand Slam matches, but few play any game themselves. It is true that not everyone has a flair for athletics or sports, but most could play outdoor games just for the fun of it. And certainly everyone can at least try to be fit — just being free of disease is not enough. For all the fancy gyms that are mushrooming all around us, we have to admit that middle class and affluent Indians largely lead a sedentary life and do not pay as much attention to their diet and nutrition as they do to their taste buds. Fitness is defined as “the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness”. Of course, the fitness that is required of a football player, a chef, a clerk or a mother would be different in nature and in degree. A physical fitness programme comprising exercises for muscular strength, flexibility and cardio respiratory endurance must be part of the educational routine in every school.
Somehow, the tremendous investment that goes into performing well in examinations of all kinds is not seen in the field of sports. Indeed, a great deal of enthusiasm is whipped up before intra-school and inter-school sports tournaments, but the moment an examination approaches all practice and “extra-curricular” activities are abandoned. The contrast is stark when I see the attitude of schoolchildren in other countries. In fact, people of all ages have made jogging, running, swimming, rowing, sailing or some sport or the other a part of their lives. It is not just to identify potential Olympic champions that we need to take athletics and sports seriously in school. Every child must believe that physical training is as vital as eating and sleeping and every child must get used to a fitness regimen. There are many ways in which fitness routines can be made interesting. For example, Dancercise is very popular among youngsters these days. Children, and more importantly their parents, must believe that sports are as important as their studies.
However, I am not too sure that “marks for sports” is a good idea. Participation in sports will be associated with marks-related anxiety, which already exists in abundance in schoolchildren’s exam-dominated lives. Please let us not add more stress to their already dangerously stressful lives. Children should grow up enjoying playing games and loving sports. The old adage of “a sound mind in a sound body” still holds good but today it is accepted that both are interdependent and there is no divide between brain and brawn. One needs a sharp mind to excel at sports and playing a sport sharpens your mind. Through the ages children have been told that sport builds character, contributes to team spirit and teaches appreciation of talent in others. It is another matter that many feel that aggressive competitiveness and professionalism have spoilt the “spirit” of sport. George Orwell had written over 70 years ago: “Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. Sport is war minus the shooting.” Decades later we are witness to sports people failing drug tests, technology being used to check cheating and large teams of policemen deployed to control violent football fans or cricket-crazy crowds. A sports writer had recently written that sport “demonised opponents” and eroded the moral character of its followers.
Most sports are combative and when sporting events become platforms for projecting patriotism, national fervour arises and barbaric instincts are triggered off. Tragically, spectators become blind to skill, speed, grace and grit, which are so very pleasurable to witness in normal circumstances. Today the opponent’s defeat is the only obsession: I remember when P.V. Sindhu was playing her final match, I did not appreciate Marin’s strokes and was actually gleeful whenever the latter lost a point. We must not let sports be reduced to being an outlet for narrow nationalistic feelings. The human mind and body are made for higher things than the crass nurturing of “the killer instinct”. The true value and aesthetics of athletics and sports can only be instilled and reinforced in school.
