Vanishing act in Busan
By Sushil Thapa
(November 2002)

The 14th Asian Games in Busan, South Korea is part of history now. Recapping Asia's greatest and biggest sporting extravaganza, expectedly athletes from China, South Korea and Japan ruled the roost. Displaying better preparedness, coordination, skills, techniques and prowess they outpaced and outplayed their opponents who looked a spent force in most disciplines. Apart from a few world class performances the overall standards of Asian athletes was not sufficient to pose any serious challenge or threat to European and American hegemony in international sports. Clearly Asian athletes have a mountain to climb to catch up with their Western rivals. In terms of management and organization the Busan meet lived up to its hype and was a rousing success.

Speaking of Nepal's performances, there is nothing to boast of. However, the three bronze medals that came by in martial art is something to take pride of. They deserve full appreciation for their achievement. It would be very wrong and unfair to down play their contribution no matter how they won. Considering the difficulties and problems faced by our athletes on the domestic front their success should be looked upon as a significant gain. Definitely they put in every inch of their effort to make the nation and themselves proud. Hopefully their success is recognized and appropriately rewarded.

All in all our athletes showing was below par in other disciplines. They struggled and failed to make any headway, falling either in the qualifying or first round. They were wanting in every department, be it skills or competitiveness or preparedness or experience. In addition, they were unable to match the rivals mentally and physically. Not a surprise when one keeps in mind the ailing sports system in which our athletes are groomed. How logical is it to be hard on them for their mediocre performances, knowing what they are capable of. I reckon you have the right answer. Regardless of the outcome they gained valuable experiences and should have absorbed the finer points of the games.
 
Twelve or fifteen (the number is conflicting) of our athletes who sneaked off from the Asiad village in Busan, South Korea  was and is the talking point once again in sports circle. They chose to stay back at the price of their sporting career, perhaps for the betterment of their future. In all probability, nobody was caught off guard by their vanishing act for the simple reason it was foreseeable prior to the games commencement. Also we have seen this happen time and time again, over the years. As a sports writer the incident disappointed me but what angered me
most was the failure of our boxer to show up for his second round fight. I was sick to the stomach. The implication can be far reaching and certainly would further jeopardize our international participation in the future.

There have been several  instances of visa denial to our athletes in the past. I vividly remember several years ago by not issuing visa the British Embassy deterred the table-tennis squad from participating at the World Championship in England.  Such is the circumstance that we have to think twice before sending athletes abroad for international meets. The latest disappearing episode speaks volumes of athletes' profound concern, frustration, fear and despair. We know why this is happening. Apart from the  rickety socio-economic back ground of  the majority of athletes, the thought of insecurity has filled them with consternation. No initiative, no welfare schemes, nothing of sort to make their retired life secure. Instead they are left to make their bread and butter a hard way.

Our naked eyes have witnessed scores of former international athletes languish and lead a painful life. Out rightly they have been ignored by the government, exercising a "damn care attitude." Only the real lucky ones are able to hang on to positions of coaches or instructors.  By and large sports scenario in the country is extremely depressing and agonizing. Preposterous it sounds to say that the government is sans a welfare policy for athletes. The biggest irony is that we have a host of sports organizations including the Sports Ministry at the hands of corrupt bureaucrats, doing nothing in this regard. Such is their preoccupation with personal matters that they have hardly any time to tend to athletes' woes. This is a national outrage, indeed.

Sadly nobody really cares about it.  A few passionate sports critics like me is not going make a world of difference. At times I feel like a lone dog barking in the dark. I understand it is ineffectual and bears little significance but that is not going to dissuade me from making noises.  I feel obliged to enlighten readers with my opinions whether they like it or not.  The way things stand today I am pretty sure more athletes and officials are going to disappear and our sports standards will slump to a record low. 

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