The intention of the Government to make the functioning of sports bodies in the State transparent and accountable is echoed in a big way in the draft sports policy released here on Wednesday.
The 13-page document which spells out the vision of the Government in matters relating to sports promotion also seeks to strengthen clubs – the base of sports administration – through a slew of measures.
Accordingly, registration of clubs, through the District Sports Councils, would be made mandatory leading to their affiliation in the District Sports Associations of the various disciplines. The registration process would be an annual affair under a clear-cut system which would be devised by the Sports Department in due course.
The recommended annual registration of clubs has been made to strengthen the conduct of district leagues, so as to identify talented sportspersons at the grass root level, and to move towards the conduct of inter-club competitions at the State level to replace the format of the State championships, which currently is conducted in an inter-district format.
Professionalism is also sought to be introduced in the working of the Sports Department, the Kerala State Sports Council and the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs. Necessary restructuring at the administrative level would be done as to ensure modern delivery systems and put in place an institutional framework for the development of sports.
Technical wing
Accordingly, a full-fledged sports technical wing would be established at the KSSC to evaluate the schemes and performances of athletes and coaches. At the KSSC level, a ten-member Athletes Commission would be constituted through a process of election involving Arjuna award winners, former internationals and medal winners of National senior championships once every three years.
Besides, to ensure transparency in the functioning of all recognised State Sports Associations and helping them achieve the gold of attaining internationally accepted best practices, a two-term tenure (each of four years) for office-bearers would be insisted.
“No office-bearer would be able to seek re-election to any post after being in office for eight years at any particular post. Secretaries of State Sports Associations should be a person of proven record in sports, having represented the State in National championships at some level. Each Association would also be required to set up an Athletes Commission, the chairman of which would be a member of the State executive with full voting rights. Further, all clubs finish within the first four places in the State senior championships would automatically be members of the State executive with full voting rights. The same set of rules would apply to all the district bodies of the respective State Sports Associations. Further, a set of guidelines fixing responsibility and accountability for office-bearers of sports bodies, in line with the Services Act, would be issued by the Sports Department. All State Sports Associations would also be brought under the purview of the Right To Information Act.”
As part of the measure to obviate the dependence of State Sports Associations on the State for resources, a matching grant scheme would be initiated. All State Sports Association would also be required to either maintain their own websites providing information relevant information regarding its bye-laws, office-bearers, scores of various championships, minutes of the various meetings including that of the selection committees and other matters with linkage to the websites of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and the Kerala State Sports Council or provide such information to be included in the websites of the two official bodies.
Technical sanction
State Sports Associations or others venturing to take up sports infrastructure projects would be required to obtain prior technical sanction from the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs. A management code for all sporting facilities, parks and open spaces would be introduced to ensure proper usage of the sports infrastructure in the State.
The draft policy also promises the establishment of a separate independent commission for ethics and arbitration and the inclusion of a time-frame by which the Sports Department would undertake to implement the various initiatives in the final document.
