North East Olympics shows sports in Tripura is on critical life support

This week, a major event concluded in the Northeast, but I would not be surprised if the rest of India barely took notice. This is not a rant about that part. There will always be some issues that will interest mainland India more than others, and I am fine with that.

I am talking about the North East Olympic Games 2022. Over two weeks in Shillong, all North East states took part in several events, and I can say that our coverage of the event was second to none. An ‘Olympic’ event can mean different things to different people: to me, more than anything, it signified unity among the states who rarely get such opportunities to showcase their talents. The inaugural event had its issues, which was a downer but not a complete surprise. I do not wish to defend the Meghalaya government here, but let us not forget that our regions rarely, if ever, get a chance to hold such mega-events. So, slightly dim lighting and lack of signal are issues where I would be happy to give the benefit of doubt to the Meghalaya government.

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The results were on the expected lines. Manipur, the undisputed kings of sports in the Northeast, were on top. At this point, I can safely say that had Manipur not finished on top, it would have necessitated an inquiry! The state’s rise to the top sporting state in the North East and probably all of India (given its population) is a case that needs extensive and detailed analysis. Other states must learn from Manipur but you already know that, right?

The less inspiring story, however, emerged from Tripura. Now, few if any, associate Tripura with sporting pedigree. Except for Dipa Karmakar and the odd good performance at the Ranji level in cricket, I am pretty sure that I would be offending no one by saying that when you think of sports, you do not think of Tripura.

Mind you, it is not as if every other North East state do well at sports. Take Nagaland and Meghalaya for example. Now, if I tell you that these two states are crazy about sports, you would not debate me. But did you know how many medals the two states backed at the National Games held in Gujarat recently? Zero.

But what these two states lack in medals, they make up for it via their love for sports, especially football. Go to any football match in Meghalaya and Nagaland and you can easily see thousands of people turn up for the matches. This is not to say that these states do not need to pay attention to their declining fortunes, just that in the case of Tripura, as our report shows, even the athletes are demoralised.

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It is one thing that the athletes did not win as many medals as other states. But what explains the fact that on a chilly November evening in Shillong, the athletes did not even get jackets to cover themselves? Surely a state can afford jackets for its athletes?

Then, some athletes told EastMojo how they had to spend money from their pockets to attend events, how their training facilities were covered in wild foliage, and how Wushu athletes were doubling up as boxing athletes. This is heart-breaking and can permanently damage athletes’ focus and dreams. I am sure other states have issues too, but at least the athletes get adequate clothes to protect themselves from the chill!

The North East Olympic Games is not just a competition: it is a barometer to test how good or bad your sports facilities are performing, how well your athletes are doing, and where you can improve. Tripura can continue behaving indifferently with its athletes and hope that one more Dipa Karmakar emerges to paper over the clear cracks in the system. Or, it can go the Manipur way and nurture so much talent that there can be no conversation about sports in India without mentioning it.

Tripura government has often reiterated that they see sports and sports development as an effective way to pull children away from the dangers of drugs. That is a noble aim, but for now, the administration needs to pull up its socks big time. However, I do not see anything changing for now. Elections are almost upon us and in electoral politics, sports and sportspersons are not even on the list of people whose concerns must be taken care of.