R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, MAY 22
R N Jayaprakash has been unanimously re-elected as president of the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) at its Annual General Body meeting held in Chennai on Sunday. This is his second consecutive term as president of the national body.
Monal Chokshi was elected as Secretary and Sudesh Nagvenkar elected as Treasurer, said R N Jayaprakash.
Announcing the election of new office-bearers for the national body, Jayaprakash said that the SFI had achieved remarkable height during his first tenure.
- Monal Chokshi was elected as Secretary and Sudesh Nagvenkar elected as Treasurer
- Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu has created over 30 world-class swimming pools across the state, only 6 swimming pools are functioning
- SFI institutes a five-member committee which includes a national female swimmer and a social worker to look after the sexual abuse/torture complaints.
“We witnessed history being created when two of our nation’s swimmers achieved the A Qualifying standard for the Olympic games in 2021. Despite the Covid pandemic, SFI has assured that the entire swimming fraternity in India had the optimal support required in terms of infrastructure, best training facilities, world class coaching, global exposure to our young upcoming junior-level swimmers and strengthening the grassroots level tructure of this sport,’’ he said.
Expressing concern over the lack of qualified swimming coaching personnel in the country especially in Tamil Nadu, he said that though the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu has created over 30 world-class swimming pools across the state, only 6 swimming pools are functioning with coachers and rest are maintained by the local authorities with locals.
Keeping all these in mind and the immediate international/national competitions, the SFI has identified key focus areas for its Mission 2028, aimed at furthering the development of swimming in the country.
The focus areas include – establishment of a National Database of Swimmers, Coaches, and Academies, the implementation of an Indigenous Coaches Education & Certification pathway, the creation of a systematic Talent Scouting Structure & Protocols, the review of Competition Structure, and the development of a National Talent Pool & Athlete Development Pathway etc.
He also stressed young talents to continue their professional swimming beyond 16 years, as majority of them discontinue after their school education. The federation will increase professional swimming competitors from the present 22,000 to 1 lakh in another four years, he added.
“I am optimistic towards India becoming a dominant global force in Swimming in a few years’ time,” Jayaprakash added.
Replying to a query, he said that the SFI has instituted a five-member committee which includes a national female swimmer and a social worker to look after the sexual abuse/torture complaints.
