Contributed by Spilled Beans
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW SkateBoarding and Olympics Skateboarding is an Olympic Sport. It has been approved for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic program on August 3, 2016. There are two categories under which the event happens. PARK and STREET (MEN and WOMEN). 20 athletes compete in each category. 20 (Athletes) = 3 (Highest Placed Athletes in 2020 World Skate Championship events) +16 (Top OWSR qualified Athletes) +1 (Highest Ranked Athlete from the Host Country)
Olympic World Skateboarding Rankings (OWSR) is one of the major criteria for skateboarders to represent a country in the Olympics. Points from specific events are evaluated to credit the rankings. Points will be awarded at events during the qualifying period of : 1. World Championships 2. Pro Tour events (TBD) 3. 5-Star Events (TBD) 4. Continental Championships 5. National Championships Qualification System for Olympics: Click here
Roller Skating federation of India (RSFI) It has been decided on world level that Skateboarding will be represented under National Roller Skating Federations. The Structure is defined so that State Level Federations recommend to National Level RSFI and they send them to International Events.
WHAT HAPPENED ? World Skate PARK World Championship | Nanjing, China | 29th Oct - 9th Nov 2018 1. This is the initial seeding event for 2019 Season of Olympic Skateboarding Qualification leading up to Tokyo 2020 Olympic games. 2. 5 Skateboarders ( 3 Male and 2 Female ) have represented India at this event. Out of which, 2 kids were from Janwaar Castle. 3. The Points range from 0 - 100. 4. Our Skateboarders scored 9.5, 3.23, 2.7, 2.43 in the Qualifiers. When the highest was around 80. It’s fine to score less! They have at least tried! These are the common immediate responses which might hit our minds. This isn’t about the participants at all. But, the major issue is that RSFI (Roller Skating Federation of India) didn’t put out the notice regarding the Selections for the World Skate PARK World Championship. Other issues include,
One of the Participant is the Son of the Delhi’s Skateboarding Academy’s Owner and the Other was the Nephew of the General Secretary of RSFI. In this regard, Tulsi Ram Agarwal, President, RSFI said “ We got to know about the participation very late so were in a hurry to select the team. These kids are very talented. Himanshu Sharma is also there in the squad who has also represented India in the Asian Championship held in South Korea. We organized a selection trial in Saket, Delhi to select the team which was held on 20th of October ” And When asked about selection, he said “Well there were many talented players who were left out because of passport issues. Players who were not having passports were omitted and those whose passports were not renewed were also not selected”. Kids from Janwaar Castle were informed just a week before the World Skate Championship and knowing that they are from an NGO, didn’t offer any financial Support. So, Ulrike Reinhard created a Crowd Funding campaign from which they got 1.05,050 INR with which they could cover their overall expenses for the entire trip. Ulrike elucidates on the entire journey while pointing out what the Indian Skateboarder Community lack in one of her blogs.
This is not for the first time that RSFI is coming under a scanner. On 24th of October, In a Facebook post Asian Skateboarding Federation manifested RSFI’s cluelessness and their ignorance in selection. Asian Skateboarding Federation said “Roller Sports association should take note and send the right skaters to the championship-not just send skaters ‘because you can’. work with the existing skateboarding pioneers and top skateboarder in India”.
press for the article link: Here Ads like these have also flourished and being spread all around.
Due to the Heat by the Skateboarders Communities all around India, RSFI consciously propagated the National Skateboarding Championship 2018, which is supposed to be an entry gate to Olympics 2020 from 21st to 23rd in Visakhapatnam. But the Qualification Criteria for the Olympics is not that linear or Singular. And the list doesn’t even specify if it’s PARK or STREET discipline.
Yes, They spelled ‘Skateboarding’ wrong (Just Saying).
WHAT CAN WE DO JUGAAD Skateboarding Championship This is a private Crowd Funding event which happens in Bangalore every year as Government doesn't support. This year it’s on December 7th- 9th. This is the biggest ensemble for all the skateboarders from India. This is a delight for the eyes while the best Skateboarders form India, showcase their immense love towards Skateboarding performing magnificent tricks and healthily competing against each other to improve their Community. You could also be a part of this movement against the authorities, who consider sports as an income source, by supporting the #saveskateboardinginindia and donating money to conduct the event in Bangalore, if possible.
press to donate money: Here
Atrocities in sports other than Cricket had always been persisting in India. It’s high time that People get together and Show Support to these UNNOTICED sports. There are a bunch of cool and Intriguing sports which are represented in Olympics and which we are not aware of. The Plight in all these UNNOTICED sports should be learned and be tackled so that these kinds of Federations stop ruining the Career Opportunities for the future generations. Let us all unite to at least acknowledge these horrific incidents, Give hope to the present Athletes and pledge towards a safe haven to sports.
To explain it further through the skate boarders,
References apart from the links mentioned above, Sreejeet’s Article: here Ulrike's Article: Here
