While welcoming the initiative to hold district, regional, and State level sports meet for the Chief Minister’s Trophy, sports enthusiasts have urged the State government to include more disciplines and relax age limits in the general public category.
As per the notification of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), the district administrations have geared up to conduct this year’s Chief Minister’s Trophy sports meet in September. The trophy will carry a total prize money of ₹37 crore. It will be conducted in five broad categories — school students, college students, persons with disabilities, general public, and government servants. Age limit has been fixed for various categories.
While the students categories have been planned in such a way to accommodate budding sportspersons, the restrictions in age criteria seem to restrict the opportunities for sportspersons in general categories. Moreover, only a few disciplines have been included in the general public and government servants categories. The age limit for the competition in general category will be between 15 and 35. They could participate in athletics, cricket, volleyball, football, carrom, and silambam. Popular sports such as tennis, table tennis, badminton, ball badminton, and others have been left out.
A section of sports enthusiasts is of the view that besides including all popular sports, masters categories should have been created to give opportunities for those pursuing sports even after the age of 45.
“We are happy to know that the CM Trophy has attracted the attention of sportspersons in general. It gives an opportunity to prove their mettle. The trophy should have master categories for sports such as tennis, badminton, and others. It will not only motivate them to take part in the masters categories but also help them keep fit,” says N. Annavi, former international high jumper.
He said the SDAT and the district administration should take steps to include masters categories in this edition of the CM Trophy itself.
Collector M. Pradeep Kumar told The Hindu that steps would be taken to include masters categories. It would motivate the sportspersons of all age groups to join the competition.
