Published: September 18, 2026 at 7:12 pm
Telangana will be hosting the Khelo India Youth Games later this year but there seems to be complete lack of coordination between the Sports Authority of Telangana (SATG) and the various sports associations regarding the selection of teams for the prestigious Games.
SATG has started selecting the Telangana teams for the Khelo India Games almost three months before the event but there is much to be desired in the manner the SATG officials are conducting the selection trials.
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One wonders if the sports officials are really keen on winning medals or are they only interested in hosting the event. One official said, on condition of anonymity, that there is money involved in hosting events and that is the reason why the officials pay more attention to hosting events and don’t show the same passion or commitment when it comes to grooming players or selecting the right athletes.
Wrestlers left high and dry
On Thursday, selections for the wrestling competitions were held at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad but the process left the wrestlers a frustrated lot. The wrestlers bemoaned the lackadaisical attitude of the SATG officials and many of them said the officials were turning a deaf ear to their genuine pleas.
It was initially announced that wrestlers born after 2008 would be eligible to take part in the selections. However, many wrestlers who had turned up at the stadium were denied registration as they were told that the cut-off date was changed and only those born between 2009 and 2010 were eligible to participate.
Wrestlers were left high and dry as the norms were changed at the last minute. Many wrestlers who had turned up at the Gachibowli Stadium had to return disappointed. Pic: Telangana Today
This last-minute change had left the wrestlers high and dry. When contacted a deputy director of SATG said the change was done based on the information provided by the Khelo India organizing committee.
On the other hand, a Telangana Wrestling Association official stated that they had been asking for the SATG officials to make things clear about the eligibility of players. “This last-minute change is not the way to conduct selections for the state team. This could have been avoided if the officials had taken the help of the association concerned,” he said.
The official also said that the SATG should be seeking the technical committee’s assistance in conducting the selection trials. Instead of using neutral referees, the SATG officials have deployed their own coaches to select the team. This he said raises quite a number of questions on transparency and fairness.
“The associations have trained and experienced referees who can do a better job. But the SATG is only interested in using their coaches. A coach will always favour his ward and who is going to check the fairness involved in it. This only gives rise to corruption in the selection process,” he said.
Is SATG interested in winning medals at Khelo Games?
The official also said that players who were born in 2011 but had won medals at the Under-17 Nationals and South Zone competitions were denied the chance to prove their skills. “Why can’t a wrestler born in 2011 compete? Especially if the wrestler is a medallist, why prevent him on the basis of some rules. Agreed that wrestling is a contact sport but still if the wrestlers are competing in a particular weight category, then age should not really matter. It seems the officials are not keen on winning medals for the state and are more than happy in only hosting the event,” he added.
On Thursday, wrestlers were selected in Greco-Roman and Freestyle categories but only 80 wrestlers took part in the selections. It is learnt that in some categories, only five or six wrestlers entered the trials. Is it because the state lacks wrestlers? Or is it because of the highhanded behavior of the SATG officials?
Will it not be proper if SATG officials seek the help of the various sports associations and ensure a fair selection process. One hopes the sports officials keep aside their ego and join hands to select the best possible athletes who can compete well in the Khelo India Youth Games and win laurels for the state.
