The group of top skiers from Kashmir staged a protest here against the “lack of facilities and government’s indifferent attitude towards them.”
The skiers said that they don’t get any support or facility from the government whenever they participate in national events. They claimed that due to lack of support from the government to the winter sports, places like Kulu, Manali in Himachal Pradesh get a chance to host big events.
“We take part in selection trials and competitions in the state and when we get selected for the national level events we have to bear all our expenses on our own. We are not provided TA/DA by the government,” said national gold medalist skier Bilal.
“Even our state lacks equipment while as skiers of Manali and other places get all the facilities. Last year J&K Tourism department brought in some pairs of latest International body recommended skis but compared to neighboring states that is nothing,” he said.
Another skier Farukh Usman who is also a national gold medalist and has represented India in Turkey said that Kashmir based skiers are facing discrimination at national level.
“As J&K government is not supporting us this sport despite our neighboring States with the help of modern gadgetry are taking big strides. Gulmarg cannot host any international ski federation (FIS) races as it lacks specified developed slopes and artificial snowmaking machines. In comparison Auli can’t match Gulmarg in natural wealth but at the same time they have developed their slopes as per FIS specification and equipped it with snow making machines,” he said. “That gives them advantage of hosting all FIS Races while Gulmarg can’t host them.”
He said that due to lack of basic facilities for top level competition in Kashmir, States like Manali and Auli are discriminating with Kashmiri skiers.
“Despite being National gold medalist and doing well in qualifying races in Turkey I was not selected for the World championship. Instead our coach Hari Lal went himself for participation and everyone was laughing at him. Such is a level of discrimination at national level. This all would not have happened if J&K government wouldn’t have allowed our neighboring states to move ahead of Gulmarg vis-a- vis facilities,” he added.
The players said that currently their prime concern is that government should provide them TA/DA for the national participation on the lines of other teams of state.
Winter Games Association of J&K President Muhammad Abbas Wani said that things would get better with time and the problems that skiers and winter sport players face in Kashmir would be resolved.
“It is first time that a skier is heading the Winter Games Association of J&K. I have faced problems myself during my playing days and who else will understand problems of skiers better than me. I will never allow skiers to go through what I have faced. Yes things are not perfect but we have solved some issues and other will be resolved soon,” Wani said.
