Football Telecast

            Doordarshan has once again disappointed millions of football fans all over the country by not telecasting the scissors football tournament recently held in Kerala. It is the highest prize money football tournament in India and hence it attracts the best football talent in the country. Some of the foreign teams also participated in this tournament and an Indian club team was pitted against a foreign team in the final. For an average Indian a victory against another country or a foreign team is a matter of pride.

            Football is the most popular game in the world and it has large followers in all nooks and corners of this country also. The mere fact that the stadium was overflowing with about 40000 spectators on the final day and many more had to return disappointed without getting a ticket is a standing testimony of the popularity of the game.

            If the telecast timing would have clashed with national telecast, Doordarshan could have advised the organisers to adjust the timings of the final accordingly. Alternatively, the remaining part of the game could have been shown after the news. Anyway, there does not seem to be an iota of justification for completely blacking out this prestigious tournament.

            Way back in 1982 Doordarshan won plaudits from millions of sports lovers all over the globe for its spectacular telecast of the 9^th Asian Games. Many people could not even believe that Doordarshan could reach such dizzy heights barely three months after the introduction of colour telecast. But with the increase in the number of channels we have been deprived of viewing several national and international tournaments played in Indian soil. The fact that many lesser known tournaments and other tournaments where Indians have no stake at all are telecast live only adds insult to injury. Earlier also Doordarshan failed to telecast the Federation Cup Football Tournament held at Kozhikode and National Football Championship held at Kochi. Doordarshan’s policy of telecasting sports programmes is difficult to understand. Or is it because all these tournaments were held at places far away from the corridors of power?