29 April 2009

Sports Policy draft paper on the right track

The National Sports Policy Draft Suggestion Committee submitted its draft report to the Ministry of Sport the other day. I have not read the report but going by the the newspaper accounts it seems to be on the right track. The fact that the report delved into the issues of rural sports and the decentralization of the National Sports Council leads me to believe that there was some thought put into the draft.

What I was most happy to read was that the report highlighted the need to promote sports in schools. It recommended having a dedicated sports instructor in every school and also having a mandatory sports period - both good ideas for developing sports and also promoting physical fitness, health, leadership and other residual benefits that come with being involved in sports.

One area of sports development I did not see mentioned, which I hope is in the Sports Policy paper is the importance of creating talent identification mechanisms in Nepali sports. There needs to be a well developed system where top sports talents can be identified and fast-tracked into an elite development program, so they are given the necessary tools to shine on the international stage.