National Games nightmare: Is Kerala nearing the end of its sporting legacy?

Kerala, once a sporting powerhouse, is now struggling.

The 2025 National Games exposed the cracks: poor performance, inadequate facilities, and a mass exodus of talent.

For the first time in history, Kerala fell out of the top ten in the National Games medal tally, finishing in a dismal 14th place at the recently concluded 38th edition in Uttarakhand.

The state, which once prided itself on a rich sporting tradition, managed only 54 medals – 13 gold, 17 silver, and 24 bronze – a steep decline from the 87 medals (36 gold) won at the previous edition in Goa, where they secured an impressive fifth place finish.

This unprecedented downfall has raised serious questions about the state of sports in Kerala, with athletes and sports officials pointing fingers at government negligence, financial mismanagement, and an overall lack of support for players.

What was once a state that consistently produced champions in athletics, volleyball, football, and swimming now finds itself struggling to even compete at the national level.

A system in crisis

One of the key reasons for Kerala’s poor performance was the absence of top athletes, who either opted out or sought better opportunities elsewhere.

While this alone could have hurt the state’s medal tally, the bigger problem lies in the utter neglect of sports hostels and athlete welfare.

Athletes in Kerala have been struggling with dire conditions in state-run sports hostels. Over the past year, multiple reports have emerged detailing how these hostels have been running without proper food, salaries for staff, or even basic supplies.

Despite repeated assurances from the state government, things have only progressed from bad to worse.

The sports hostels, which should be the backbone of Kerala’s sports development, are now in a state of crisis.

Food allowances for athletes have been pending for months, forcing many to rely on the generosity of hostel staff and local vendors.

Many warden and trainers have had to borrow money or even mortgage valuables to ensure that the young athletes don’t starve.

Even after protests by athletes in front of the Secretariat in January 2025, demanding their rightful dues, no concrete action has been taken.

A Kerala athlete staying in a sports hostel told The Bridge, "We train for nearly eight hours a day, but without proper nutrition, how can we perform? The government sees spending on us as a waste, but no athlete becomes a champion overnight. It takes years of training, effort, and support. If Kerala won’t invest in us, how can we bring glory to the state?"

Another major issue is the lack of proper facilities and equipment. In September 2024, a report revealed that young athletes were forced to use outdated kits that had been lying in storage for years.

Some athletes didn’t receive sport-specific shoes and accessories, affecting their performance.

On top of that, salaries for temporary hostel staff – including trainers, cooks, and wardens – have been pending for months, leading to frequent threats of strikes and closures.

The blame game

Instead of taking responsibility, Kerala’s Sports Minister V Abdurahiman has pointed fingers at Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President P.T. Usha for the debacle.

He argued that the exclusion of Kalaripayattu, a traditional martial art that earned Kerala 19 gold medals in Goa, was the primary reason for the drop in rankings.

However, the Kerala Olympic Association (KOA) dismissed this argument outright.

“The sports minister and the Kerala State Sports Council are responsible for this," said V Sunil Kumar, the KOA President as per OnManorama. "We have been asking for support for years, but they never listened.

"For four years, no funds have been given to sports organizations. It’s not just about administration – athletes weren’t even given food or proper training camps," he added.

Misplaced priorities

While athletes struggle for basic facilities, the Kerala government’s attempt to bring Lionel Messi and the Argentina national team for a friendly match has drawn widespread criticism.

The event, estimated to cost over INR 42 crore, has been seen as an extravagant display of misplaced priorities.

Indian international and Kerala native Ashique Kuruniyan had sarcastically remarked last year, “Messi will come, everything will be solved,” while sharing media clippings highlighting Kerala’s failures in supporting its athletes.

His words resonated across the sporting community, with many questioning why such a significant amount was being allocated to a one-off spectacle instead of addressing the glaring issues in the state’s sporting infrastructure.

Critics argue that if even a fraction of this money were directed toward improving training facilities, supporting emerging athletes, and upgrading hostels, it could have a lasting impact on Kerala’s sports future.

The controversy grew when reports emerged of Kerala’s National Games athletes having to travel in unreserved compartments due to poor planning.

Meanwhile, several elite Malayali athletes, including HS Prannoy, Eldhose Paul, and Abdullah Aboobacker, have either switched bases or are looking for better facilities elsewhere, further highlighting the state’s inability to retain its talent.

Prannoy had obtained a No Objection Certificate from the state's badminton body to represent Tamil Nadu two years back. Paul had also expressed his desire to do the same.

A neglected sports ecosystem

The ongoing crisis isn’t just about the National Games – it’s about the future of sports in Kerala.

The mismanagement, delayed payments, and lack of vision have already led many promising athletes to switch states in search of better facilities and financial support. With no systemic reforms, Kerala could lose its sporting legacy entirely.

Despite multiple promises and budget allocations, the ground reality remains bleak.

The government approved Rs 34 crore for sports hostels in the 2024-25 budget, but only Rs 15 crore was released, and even that wasn’t distributed on time.

Vendors who supply food, gas, and essential items to hostels are threatening to cut off supplies due with unpaid dues running into lakhs.

If immediate steps aren’t taken to revive the state’s sports infrastructure, Kerala’s failure at the National Games might just be a preview of an even bigger collapse in the years to come.

Kerala once built champions. Now, it must decide – rebuild its legacy or let its athletes fade into obscurity.