Kerala to spend ₹100 Cr on football but struggles to raise ₹60 lakh for National Athletic Meet

Anju Bobby George, Preeja Sreedharan, PT Usha, and Murli Sreesankar are among many top athletes who hail from Kerala and have made their country proud on the global stage. However, the same Kerala, once a leader in athletics, is now facing a serious decline in its focus on sports development.

The state’s recent decision to step back from hosting the National Junior Athletic Meet at Calicut University Stadium highlights this worrying trend. The event, scheduled for November, was cancelled due to financial difficulties worsened by the Wayanad disaster. With over 2,600 athletes expected to participate, the state athletics association expressed its inability to raise the ₹60 lakh required for the event, leading to this unfortunate withdrawal.

Financial woes and lack of commitment

This move not only reflects Kerala’s current financial struggles but also casts doubt on the state’s long-term commitment to developing athletic talent. The deteriorating condition of sports infrastructure in the state further complicates matters. The synthetic track at Calicut University, which was inaugurated in 2016 at a cost of ₹5.5 crore, is now in poor shape, with maintenance being delayed due to lack of funds.

Neglected sports infrastructure in Kerala

This neglect highlights the widening gap between Kerala’s glorious past in athletics and the present, where basic facilities for training and competitions are falling apart. In stark contrast, the state seems to be prioritising high-profile events over local sports development. The Kerala Sports Minister recently announced plans to host a friendly football match featuring the Argentine national team, with an estimated cost of ₹100 crore.

Misplaced priorities in Sports development

While attracting international teams and boosting Kerala’s sports tourism has its advantages, the emphasis on such glamorous events raises serious concerns. The focus on hosting these high-cost spectacles, at the expense of grassroots athletic development, signals a misplaced priority that could damage the future of sports in Kerala.

Focus on foreign teams over local talent

The Argentine Football Federation’s interest in setting up a football academy in Kerala is definitely praiseworthy. However, it raises the question of why the state is willing to invest so heavily in a foreign team while local athletes struggle without adequate support or facilities. The charm of international football may be hard to resist, but it should not come at the cost of investing in Kerala’s own athletes, who have shone at both national and international levels in the past.