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Well we have heard it for years and years and I am sure we will be hearing it for many more years, but what is the reality? No one likes to loose, we also know that. We have always been taught in the school, college and in every other occasion to believe that participation is everything, if we look back and realize that this has always been told to the one who have lost the game not to the one who won the game. So is this statement a sympathy or empathy.

The other day I was watching Chake De India a hindi movie based on Hockey the national sport of India. I really liked the film, now after coming out of the movie this thought struck in my mind. Few months back the Govt. of India make the following statement and this is what The Hindu newspaper had to say about it

Hockey's demotion won't make any impact: Gill

New Delhi: Unperturbed by Sports Ministry's decision to demote the National game, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Thursday said it would not have much impact on the sport because the Federation was hardly getting any assistance from the Ministry.

"I don't think it's going to have much of an impact on Indian hockey. It only means that you will get less fund and we have not been getting much assistance from the Ministry anyway. So in real terms, it is not going to have much effect on the game," IHF President K.P.S Gill said. Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told Parliament on Wednesday that men's hockey had been "demoted" from the `Priority' to the `General' category because of the continuous poor performance of the team in all major tournaments in the recent past.

Along with men's hockey, the Sports Ministry also downgraded football, taek-wondo, swimming, cycling, volleyball, fencing and karate.

Squash, wushu and kayaking/ canoeing are the three disciplines which were promoted to the `Priority' category.

Gill was not ready to call it a setback for hosting the 2010 World Cup either.

Meanwhile, K. Jothikumaran, Secretary, IHF, requested the government to reconsider its decision. "This is a crucial juncture when our National game requires and deserves full support from the government and hope the government will provide full support in all respects to help the team qualify for the Olympics," Jothikumaran said. — PTI

Sports Reporter adds from Chennai

Meanwhile, N. Ramachandran, Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India, expressed happiness at the news that squash had being brought into the priority list as per the latest ratings by the Union Sports Ministry.

"I am truly delighted," Mr. Ramachandran said.

He said this would provide greater opportunities for every squash player to play in tournaments abroad and also train outside the country. Mr. Ramachandran also noted that the upgradation of the sport would boost the infrastructural development activity in squash.

© Copyright 2000 - 2006 The Hindu

I did not have any reaction to this when it really happened but a re-look into this decision can easily say that the Government of India expects the sports man to win on every occasion and since they are not winning the spot has been demoted and the funds allocated to this are reduced. It is not bad wanting your country men to win a game but making it compulsory might send a bad message to the future sports men. At least they should stop preaching that participation is important that winning. Why do not they make sure the message is straight at least I will be prepared what to expect when I loose. May be its time to change the perception.