What marred sports in 2021 in Meghalaya: A recap by ST

By Dino Renthlei & Meinam Amit Singh

SHILLONG, Dec 31: The year 2021 can be summed up as topsy-turvy given what blow the Delta variant dealt to the nation, including the sporting fraternity. Nevertheless, in the midst of all the madness going on around the world in 2021, a major consolation is that sports activities seemed to be getting back on track in many countries barring parts of Europe where some of the largest sporting events are being put on hold due to the spread of the virus, notably the now-infamous Omicron, of late.
Meghalaya, which was expected to play host to the National Games 2022 may not see that happening any time soon but what sports enthusiasts can expect to be a part of is the North East Olympic Games that will be in line with Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood Day celebrations.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on the year’s sports activities, working president of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA), and vice-president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), John F Kharshiing, said, “We were hoping the situation would improve with most of the activities that were stalled due to the COVID situation. With shooting being a non-contact sport, we did get permission from the government to begin training at our new indoor range. It has been difficult because for over a year, our athletes have been out of practice which has impacted their performance.
“Our athletes had participated in the shooting nationals in October. They couldn’t reach the finals but the scores were not too bad all things considered. Being a highly competitive sport, it takes a lot of time and practice to get back one’s rhythm. Clearly, the pandemic played its role in affecting their performance.”
Kharshiing did say that the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 provided a sense of hope to athletes around the world as it indicated the revival of sports post-pandemic.

“If schools don’t reopen, it will affect us (sports administrators) too because talent is identified from the school level.
“We are hoping that all sports enthusiasts, children and athletes to continue doing what they do and not lose hope in sports because this pandemic will have to come to an end sooner or later.”
When asked about the MSOA’s plans for the upcoming year, Kharshiing said, “We were hoping to host the National Games 2022 but that is obviously off the table right now because of the pandemic. The entire schedule has been affected. Not only with Meghalaya, but Goa, too. If we go by editions of the games, we’ve been allotted the 39th but they agreed to let us host the nationals in 2022 as the state will be celebrating its 50th statehood.”
“The MSOA, in discussion with the government, had held a meeting with the North East Olympic Association and they have agreed to let us host the 2nd North East Olympic Games as part of our Statehood Day celebrations tentatively scheduled to be held sometime in Sep-Oct 2022.
“There are some sporting events that other state associations will be hosting including the Table Tennis nationals starting in late January, which is expected to be a mega event. Besides that, the MSOA is also preparing its regular calendar and will try to conduct the Olympic Day run on June 23, besides observing National Sports Day on Aug 29. Further, we are in the process of finalising a marathon in collaboration with the state athletics federation, which will help us get accreditation by the AFI.”

“We have decided to conduct seminars on the Sports Policy. There is a very promising future with the policy being put in place which will give hope and inspiration to both parents and their children looking to pursue sports as a career.”
The State Sports Policy of Meghalaya aims at promoting active participation in sports and physical activity while promoting economic activities. The policy aims to encourage participation of women in sports and games, creating and maintaining state level facilities with state-of-the-art international sports infrastructure, residential and other facilities, creating a pool of qualified manpower for sports management, coaches, athletes, referees, among others besides establishing facilities that provide scientific support and carry out advanced level research, development and documentation in sports.
Speaking on the government’s interest in promoting and developing sports in the state, the first-ever vice-president of the NRAI from the North East added, “There has been a paradigm shift where the government has committed itself to allocate adequate funds for sports infrastructure, training and events. This is the need of the hour if sports is to be promoted among the youth.”
A total amount of nearly Rs 425 crore is being spent by the state government on sports infrastructure, a move that is expected to boost the sports sector. As part of the initiative, Rs 34 crore has been allocated for the renovation of the JN Stadium in Polo Grounds.
Kharshiing expressed hope of a strong collaboration with the state government in the development of sports.
“When funds are invested in sports and youth affairs, it is not just about spending money for sports but a society is built. Some people may say spending money on sports is a waste. No, it is not. It is an investment in the youth of the future. Recent incidents of drug-related crimes are a threat to the youth. Hence, it is important that an investment is made for the youth in the form of sports.”

“It is crucial for us to have infrastructure of international standards and not just for one single national event. This will also play a major role in boosting state tourism. I hope for a fruitful and memorable 2022 as we welcome our 50th year of statehood.”
“2021 was a little better than 2020,” Meghalaya’s chief archery coach Bansaralin Dhar said while talking to The Shillong Times about the Meghalaya Archery Association’s tryst with a year that brought the entire country to its knees.
“We could only participate in the sub-junior national’s event and that too with limited practice and resources,” she added.
“As an archer, we need about 8 hours of practice daily before any major event. With lockdowns and COVID wreaking havoc, we could not manage the requisite hours to put up a decent show in the one event we took part in.”
Dhar hopes that the new year brings in more opportunities for the archers from the state.
“The Meghalaya Archery Association is set to organise trials from January 4 for the upcoming national events,” she continued.
“Hopefully, with things slightly getting better, we also start receiving funding for the sport. Our athletes are not properly equipped to compete with athletes from across the country. With better funding and better equipment, we certainly hope to leave our make in the national stage,” concluded Dhar.
Boxing, one of the most prominent contact sports globally, did face certain disruptions too, in 2021. Meghalaya boxing coach, Department of Sports & Youth Affairs (DSYA), also the secretary of the Meghalaya Boxing Association (MBA), Larry Kharpran, said that it has been a bad year for the boxing fraternity. But he added that 2022 is expected to be hectic with a series of competitions and events lined up.
“On January 25-26, there will be a boxing fight night in Tura organised by the MBA in collaboration with the DSYA which will coincide with the Statehood Day celebrations. There will be six weight categories for men and two for women with a total of around 32 top boxers competing,” Kharpran said in a chat with The Shillong Times.
The top boxers are determined based on selection trials conducted by the respective MBA affiliated district associations. The list is then narrowed down to four boxers who are selected for each weight category.
Kharpran’s focus at the moment is grooming local boxers to compete at the national level before aiming for international glory.
“Rather than focusing on the Asian Games, Olympic Games and the World Championships, what we need a national gold medallist from Meghalaya which will then obviously make the pugilist eligible to compete in all those international events. That is the main objective that we need to concentrate on first.”
“Let’s hope 2022 is a good year for everyone. I’m optimistic COVID-19 will not affect us as much as it has and I’m hopeful that we will see some positive signs from the sport of boxing,” he went on to add.
Football, meanwhile, did witness some activity towards the second half of 2021 with the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) organising the 3rd and 4th Divisions games.
In a conversation with The Shillong Times, Secretary of Meghalaya Football Association (MFA) and secretary of SSA, SS Rapthap said that while the two divisions were played, the state football association has been unable to hold any competitions.
“The MFA is waiting for sanctions from the government to hold another edition of the Meghalaya State League (MSL). As of now, that is the only competition the association plans to conduct in 2022. However, the SSA still has the 2nd Division, 1st Division and Shillong Premier League (SPL) football matches to complete.”
“The SSA doesn’t have a stadium for now as the JN Stadium is being renovated but its matches will be played at the MFA turf. The first ground is going to be converted into an artificial turf which is why matches cannot be played there. The government will most likely intimate us on the developments of the ground by March, 2022,” Rapthap added.
The only sport – which many in Meghalaya think – fared well in 2021 was cricket.
“I feel the year was a mixed bag year for cricket in Meghalaya,” general secretary of the Meghalaya Cricket Association Gideon Kharkongor said while speaking to The Shillong Times.
BCCI, a sporting powerhouse of the country and the world, had been proactive during the COVID affected years. It did not organise most of the tournaments in 2020, but come 2021 most of the national-level tournaments were given a green light.
“It was BCCI’s initiative that saw more players getting opportunities this year. We had almost all the age category cricket return into the fold in 2021. A squad would often comprise of 15 players, but due to COVID, BCCI had allowed a minimum of 20 players and in some case up to 22 players to be part of the squad,” said Kharkongor.
“We also sent our players to different parts of the country to practise and hone their skills. Strict COVID-19 protocols by the government coupled with unfavourable weather conditions in the state were major motivators behind the decision.”
“The decision proved to be an effective one as we did well in almost all the BCCI tournaments, with the Meghalaya senior men’s team qualifying for Elite division next season,” said Kharkongor.