A shocking incident that is being seen as a setback to India’s stature in international sports has arisen after the Indian team that was to take part in the Flag Football World Championships was denied visa by the government of Finland. The incident also exposed the Indian government’s failure to guide and help our sportspersons.
Flag Football is a game that is steadily growing in popularity and will be played in the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The Word championship was to be held in Finland from August 27 onwards. Thirty-two countries will send their teams in the men’s section and 25 countries take part in the women’s section. But India will not be there because the team has been denied visa.
India, which put up a dismal show in the recent Paris Olympics, is trying hard to catch up with other nations in different sports. India is also planning to host the Olympic Games in 2036. With the Olympics in mind, a team from India had been selected to take part in the event in Finland so as to make the nation’s presence felt in the international arena.
Hopes dashed
But due to lack of guidance and support in obtaining the visas, the Indian team’s visas were rejected. The hopes of the players and the sport’s fans were dashed. Sandeep Chaudhari, President of the game’s federation in India, told the media: “Morale is definitely down because everyone worked so hard. In preparation for the 2028 Olympics, this was the first big tournament where our players could have showcased their talent and known where they stand in the world but we were left disappointed.”
The pleas of the team management fell on deaf ears and Finland’s government refused to budge. All the tall claims by the Indian government that India’s clout in international fields has grown immensely were exposed as being far from true.
What is flag football?
Flag football is a variant of American football (also known as gridiron football) that many of us have seen on television and Hollywood films. But it is less rough than the gridiron variety. Instead of executing bone crunching and frequently injurious tackles, in flag football a flag (actually a ribbon) worn by the player around the waist must be removed by an opposing player to stop his run.
In flag football there is much less body contact and it is speed, agility and maneuverability that count. The game began in the early 1940s when the Second World War was on. It was designed to keep soldiers fit but at the same time not injure each other. It was also called touch football or tag football.
But since it is difficult to spot when a player’s fingers brush the shirt of another player, a flag or ribbon was introduced which could come off easily in the catcher’s hands and thereby prove that he has touched the ball carrier. In effect the hard tackles were replaced by just touching. Other rules are similar to that of American football. Hence flag football is also sometimes called American football.
The governing body is called International Federation of American Football (IFAF). The most successful team in international competitions has been the USA but Austria, France, Denmark and Canada are strong nations too.
Telangana is topper in India
In India there are several devoted enthusiasts who play this game regularly. At the national level, Telangana was the winner of the national title in 2023. Last year, in the final which was played at the Gymkhana ground in Secunderabad, Telangana defeated Kerala 16-8 in the men’s section. In the women’s category Rajasthan won the trophy by beating Uttar Pradesh 8-6.
This is a game which is in its beginning stages in India and is suited for Indian conditions and Indian physiques. But a concentrated focus and more media attention are needed to make it blossom throughout the country.
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