Players appeal to National Games authorities to conduct handball

A group of handball players have appealed to the authorities concerned to consider their case and give them an opportunity to compete in the ongoing National Games here.

Handball, an Olympic sport and the fastest game in the world, was scheduled to take place at the Games before being dropped at the last minute due to an internal squabble between two factions of the national federation.

The players, who are part of the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence here, claimed that exclusion of the sport affected the future of 416 players across the country.

Gurpinder Singh and his fellow players are disheartened after their hopes of representing Gujarat were dashed.

“The players are the biggest losers in whatever is happening at the highest level. We trained for three months for the National Games. We had two events, handball and beach handball. We did not feel like practising when we learnt that it has been [dumped] out of the Games. Some players are even thinking of quitting the sport as there is no future. What is our mistake?” asked Gurpinder Singh.

Another player, Lovejeet Singh, added, “The National championships have not happened for the last two years. One National happened, but was not recognised. We are losing out again even though the National Games is taking place.”

Gurpinder appealed to the authorities to think about the players’ plight and think about organising the event. “There are still dates and we should be given an opportunity to compete at least in the indoors event. Several states had their camps running and it would not be difficult to organise the event on a short notice.”