Parents of participants at the recently concluded National Cadet Judo Championship in Chandigarh have raised concerns over the lack of boarding and lodging facilities provided to players. According to the Judo Federation of India (JFI) mandate, all expenses including boarding, lodging, and transportation are borne either by individual participants or their respective state associations. This policy has left many families struggling to cover costs, especially those traveling from distant states.
Financial Burden on Participants
An official from the host association, speaking on condition of anonymity, acknowledged the difficulty. “The state association cannot really do anything. Rather, we had made arrangements by managing resources from our own end to give players a good platform to play,” the official said. Despite these efforts, parents argue that national-level events should provide basic amenities to ensure equal participation.
Prithvi Singh Kadiyan, a parent of a participant, expressed his disappointment: “It would have been good had the boarding and lodging facilities been provided to all players. I know it’s difficult in individual sports, considering the high participation, but for national events, it can be arranged.” He suggested that the JFI could conduct state-level qualifiers and allow only top players to compete in the national championship, which might reduce the burden on parents and host associations.
Call for Systemic Changes
Another parent, Vikas Dahiya, emphasized the challenges faced by families. “It’s not easy for many to travel to various places for tournaments,” he said, urging the national body to provide accommodation and quality food for participants. The championship, held in Chandigarh, saw a high number of entries from across India, but the lack of centralized support has sparked debate about the sustainability of the current funding model.
As of now, the JFI has not issued an official response to the parents’ demands. The issue highlights a broader concern in Indian sports about the financial accessibility of national-level competitions for young athletes.
