File picture of a baseball participant© AFP
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The Sports activities ministry has rejected hypothesis that it will think about harnessing the nation’s huge pool of aspiring cricketers to show them into baseball medal prospects on the Asian Video games or Olympics, saying that such an thought has by no means been mentioned or thought of at any stage. A ministry supply stated that options that this got here up for dialogue on the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) assembly earlier this week are “mistaken”, mentioning that baseball just isn’t even a recognised nationwide federation at this level.
“That is fully imaginary. Baseball just isn’t even recognised by the ministry. Why will SAI (Sports activities Authority of India) get into cricket or turning cricket gamers into baseball gamers?” a senior ministry supply stated.
Baseball has been part of the Asian Video games since 1994 and the Olympic Video games since 1992.
India has by no means participated within the occasion. The nation does have an Beginner Baseball Federation of India, which is affiliated to the game’s international physique, however it isn’t recognised by the sports activities ministry, nor entitled to any funding from the federal government.
“This was not mentioned at MOC assembly. We’re busy making certain that the we enhance and construct upon sports activities during which we’re doing moderately properly, there is no such thing as a time to become involved in one thing like this,” the ministry supply stated.
To faucet into nation’s cricket assets would require a level of coordination with the BCCI, which is an autonomous physique that generates its personal funds. Nonetheless for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the place cricket will make its debut in T20 format, the BCCI might be entrusted with staff choice.
In accordance with a senior official of the Board, no critical cricketer would think about transferring to baseball given how financially rewarding even state-level T20 leagues are at this level.
“Why would any aspiring cricketer flip to baseball? Is it a commercially viable profession possibility? And particularly when you might have choices just like the IPL and state T20 leagues. Even the unofficial tennis-ball leagues are providing near Rs 40-50 lakh every year,” a senior BCCI official informed PTI.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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