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Judo

EXCLUSIVE: Indian judo contingent gets funding for Commonwealth Championship

The Judo Federation of India (JFI) has drawn up plans to send over 150 judokas comprising four categories - pre-cadet, cadet, junior and senior.

EXCLUSIVE: Indian judo contingent gets funding for Commonwealth Championship
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By

Suhrid Barua

Published: 25 Sep 2019 2:14 PM GMT

The uncertainty over the Indian judo contingent’s participation in the upcoming Commonwealth Judo Championship, slated to be held in Walsall, the UK from September 25-29 owing to funding constraints has finally got a ray of hope. Now with the government swiftly acting and offering its ‘funding’ to help, the apprehension over whether the country’s big sized judo contingent would be able to take part in the Commonwealth Judo Championship can finally rest assured.

The Judo Federation of India (JFI) has drawn up plans to send over 150 judokas comprising four categories. The JFI will field 10 boys and 9 girls in the pre cadet category, 8 boys and 8 girls in the cadet category, 8 boys and 8 girls in the junior category and 8 boys and 8 girls in the senior category. It may be pertinent to mention that the Commonwealth Judo Championship has broken away from its tradition of being held every two years since the inaugural edition held at Edinburg, Scotland in 1986.

The 2019 Commonwealth Judo Championship event will be significant, given the fact that it is a core sport at the 2022 Commonwealth Games that will also be held in England.

The Judo Federation of India has picked two teams – Team ‘A’ and Team ‘B’ - Team ‘A’ comprising judokas from pre-cadet, cadet, junior and senior categories who secured the first rank in the selection trials held in New Delhi and Bhopal. Team ‘B’ comprises judokas from pre-cadet, cadet, junior and senior categories who secured the second rank in the selection trials held in New Delhi and Bhopal.

“I’m extremely thankful to the government, especially the Sports Authority of India (SAI), for funding a large chunk of our entire judo contingent’s expenses for the Commonwealth Judo Championship.

The government has agreed to provide the entire funding of Team ‘A’ from the budget earmarked for Annual Calendar of Training and Competition (ACTC). The JFI has been able to convince the government that sending both ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams is important for Indian judo given the fact that our focus is on the 2022 Commonwealth Games that will be held in the UK. And at our recent Khelo India meeting, the SAI DG consented to provide 75% funding for our ‘B Team that will cover all expenses of our pre-cadet, cadet and junior judokas. The rest 25% can be managed by seniors judokas as they are working in paramilitary services or in other government departments and can manage sponsors, if needed,” said Judo Federation of India.

The JFI general secretary Man Mohan Jaiswal explained

“The government has asked us to dedicate 80% funding on pre-cadet, cadet and junior judokas and dedicate 20% funding towards senior judokas, but JFI was able to make the government understand that the continued exposure is also important for senior judokas, as well as the 2022 Commonwealth Games, is coming up along with other tourneys. We deliberated and took a call that now 60% funding will be dedicated towards pre-cadet, cadet and junior judokas and the rest 40% dedicated towards senior judokas."

Visa issues have often hamstrung the participation of the Indian judo contingent in previous Commonwealth Judo Championship as well – the country could not take part in 2016, 2012, 2006 and 2002 Commonwealth Judo Championship owing to visa issues.

“Getting a UK visa is never easy, but JFI is coordinating with the British Judo Association, British High Commission and SAI to ensure our judokas get their visas in a timely manner. So far around eighty judokas have got their visas and the judo contingent is leaving in batches. We are expecting more judokas to receive their visas in the next 24 hours or so,” Jaiswal noted.

It may be worth recalling that India had fielded two teams at the 2018 Commonwealth Judo Championship as well and completely dominated the event, reaping a rich harvest of 98 medals.

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