Most sporting nations would feel that a two-year period is too less to prepare for any major Games — Great Britain, for example, had started their Beijing preparations after the 1996 Atlanta Games.

In India though, things are different. With less than two years to go for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the various National Sports Federations (NSFs) are still in go-slow mode. The sports ministry had written to all NSFs, asking them to provide information related to preparations for the New Delhi Games, in June. But only seven NSFs have submitted proposals with all relevant information. As many as nine federations haven’t responded.

“We are ready with the funds, but some of the NSFs have to be told and retold to send their requirements. All these proposals have to be put up before the screening committees before they are cleared and funds released,” a ministry spokesperson said.

The ministry had asked the federations to send names of probables for coaching camps (juniors and seniors), the number of coaches (both Indian and foreign), funds required for their training programmes and the infrastructure they would need.

“If there is a procedural delay on our part, they create a ruckus and go to the press. But when they are at fault, nobody raises the issue,” he pointed out. As for the coaches, particularly foreign, he said, the SAI needs to check on the antecedents of the support staff, which takes time. Apart from boxing, the athletics, bowling, cycling, gymnastics, netball, paralympics, Rugby and swimming federations are yet to respond.

... contd.