Need to overhaul sports administration: Vijender, Jung

New Delhi: Star boxer Vijender Singh finds the sports system in the country a "hell" while shooter Samaresh Jung has serious problems with the administrators and both reckon time is ripe for a structural overhaul.

Beijing Olympic bronze medallist Vijender said federations are teeming with people who had no business being there and there was not enough appreciation of a sportsperson's achievement.

"(Sports) system is like hell in India. There are people who have no clue why they are there. It's so congested," said the boxer.

"There is a need to make it more flexible and open. Sometimes people at the helm of affairs don't even recognise and respect their own sportspersons. Even after succeeding at the highest level, we often don't get the desired encouragement and motivation.

"However, I am thankful to my profession. After putting up some good performances at the international level, people have started recognising and loving me," Vijender told a seminar titled "Pressures in High-Performance Sport".

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2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Best athlete Samaresh Jung also echoed similar sentiments and said there was a long-due problem with the way sport is being run in the country.

Insisting athletes were the most important component of any sport, Jung said, "Who are the administrators running the affairs? We are the players who go and win. We need to change the way it runs. We need to change our mindset.

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"In shooting, infrastructure is totally missing. We have very few ranges and very few coaches. We need to built small ranges all over India and need to broaden our base," he said.

Former hockey Olympian Viren Rasquinha, however, was of the opinion that things were gradually changing for good.

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"I am a former hockey player. I have closely seen all the ups and downs in the sport. In last three decades, our national game has witnessed steady decline. There were multiple reasons behind it and everyone knows it. But now one can see so many sponsors coming out and showing interest in the game.

"Hero Honda was there in the recently held World Cup. Then there is Sahara and others. Our organisation (Olympic Gold Quest) is also doing its bit and taking care of so many players like shuttler Saina Nehwal, pugilists Suranjoy Singh and Nanao Singh among others. So the scenario is changing," Rasquinha said.

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Vijender also conceded that after his success in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, boxing has also seen some positive changes.

"Boxing is growing and love for the sport is also growing. Things have changed of late and we all are very happy," he said.

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Asked about their preparations for the Commonwealth Games, both Vijender and Jung exuded confidence and said their medal prospect was bright.

"I am preparing hard for the event and is hopeful of clinching the medals in my respective categories," Jung said.

"I am performing well these days. I had won gold medal in Commonwealth Boxing championship recently. Things are shaping well and I am confident of a medal," Vijender said.