Funds crunch posing a worry for Vikas

With an important track and field season fast approaching, champion discus thrower Vikas Gowda finds himself in a difficult situation with a funds crunch threatening to derail his plans.

The US-based Vikas, who trains at John Godina’s World Throws Centre, had submitted detailed plans and expenses to the Karnataka government during his visit to Bangalore in September. However, the government has put his request in the cold storage, leaving him a touch desperate.

“We have some very important competitions coming up next season, with the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in the calendar. I have to start my preparations straightaway, but I do not know where the money is going to come from,” Vikas told Deccan Herald over phone.

The Mysore-born Vikas has been India’s best performer on the world stage in recent times, finishing eighth in the London Olympic Games and claiming seventh spot in the last two World Championships. He took an important step forward in 2013, with a gold medal in the Asian Championships studding his season.

The previous Karnataka government had promised Rs one crore towards his training expenses but only half of it was released. And during his last visit to India, Vikas met the chief minister Siddaramaiah to request his support, detailing the figures charged by Godina amounting to Rs 1.2 crore per year.

“We have not heard from them after that. More distressingly, there is no support from the Central Government too, even though they have been backing performers who have not come close to my achievements,” a dejected Vikas said.

According to sources in the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Vikas’ proposal is unlikely to find favour. “We don’t have provisions for that and moreover, it is the Central Government’s responsibility,” said a top DYES official.

Sportspersons are entitled to funds from the National Sports Development Fund but a look at the figures reveals that Vikas hasn’t received his due here. “I thought when I start performing well, my problems would end but despite doing well, I am treated like a lower level athlete,” said Vikas, who won the silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and bronze at the Asian Games in the same year at Guangzhou, China.

“I had submitted my proposals in October 2012 itself for the 2013 season but it never got to the Sports Ministry. The Athletics Federation of India was supposed to forward it to the government but nothing happened. It is not that India does not have the money. We have the money but it is not being spent in the right way. If you look at the performances in athletics, I finished well above all the persons the government had supported,” he rued.

The only solace for Vikas has been the support from the Olympic Gold Quest. “OGQ has been the only consistent source of my funding but still, it only covers a small fraction of my budget. They are a private company and they have their limitations. If I don’t find the funding soon, I don’t know how I can go ahead with my preparations,” said the National record-holder.