Are athletes qualified enough for the positions they desire?

Annoyed by the demands of sports medal winners in the state to confer them with government jobs in a department of their choice, the directorate of sports and youth services has asked the sports ministry to set criteria regarding minimum educational qualifications for athletes before appointing them.
The directorate may suggest to the ministry to create additional posts in the sports department and that athletes should mostly be appointed in the sports department.

Goldfinger: Rahi Sarnobat, who won a gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, said sports department wouldn't suit her as she sees no future there after her sporting career gets over. File Pic

A highly placed official in the directorate of sports and youth services on condition of anonymity told MiD DAY that it had become a trend for young athletes to ask not only for government jobs, but higher posts in a department of their choice like revenue, treasury, sales tax and police. "Some players have not even completed their graduation but ask for higher posts with neither qualification nor knowledge of the subject," said an official.u00a0

Surprisingly, athletes do not want to get appointed in the sports department where they can not only work well due to their knowledge of sports but also as coaches once their athletic career comes to an end. "During the Commonwealth Games in 2010, I submitted an application for the post of deputy collector in revenue or the sales tax department; however, authorities expressed their inability to give me the post as I wasn't a graduate," said shooter Rahi Sarnobat, who won a gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She said that the sports department wouldn't suit her as after her career she sees no future there.

"Now, the state government should think about giving me the post of deputy collector as I have completed my graduation and have also qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro," said 22-year-old Rahi. In the last one year as many as eight athletes have directly been appointed as class I officers in various departments of the state government, including swimmer Virdhawal Khade, who is now a tehsildar in the revenue department at Panvel.

"These posts are not honorary posts where athletes do not have to work. They would get salary as per their posts and would have to bear responsibilities. Therefore, the question is whether players can handle responsibilities without the necessary knowledge or qualifications," said the official of directorate of sports and youth services. The officer said that was the reason the sports ministry should create the additional posts in the sports department for athletes.