SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Youth Services and Sports (DYSS) has directed all district heads to organise competitions on a league-cum-knockout basis to ensure fair selection of talented athletes and provide deserving players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities.
In a circular issued by the Directorate of Youth Services and Sports, the department said it had observed that the existing knockout format used during district-level team game selections often deprived deserving players of adequate opportunities to demonstrate their performance for higher-level competitions.
The circular noted that under the knockout system, teams are eliminated after a single match, restricting talented players from displaying their true potential due to temporary setbacks or limited match exposure.
To address the issue, the department has instructed all District Heads to organise Inter-Zonal District-Level and Inter-District competitions on a league-cum-knockout basis instead of a pure knockout format.
The department said the revised system would allow players sufficient opportunities to compete consistently before final selections are made.
It also directed District Heads to ensure the availability of proper infrastructure and equipment and to conduct the selection process in a transparent and impartial manner.
According to the circular, experienced selectors or technical officials with adequate knowledge of the respective sport should be engaged for competitions and selection trials. Where such officials are unavailable within a district, assistance may be sought from neighbouring districts.
The department further instructed that players should be assessed on the basis of their overall performance, discipline, fitness and sportsmanship during the competitions.
According to departmental sources, the circular was issued after the department received complaints alleging that talented players had been overlooked in favour of “blue-eyed” participants during selection trials at various levels.
The department has directed all concerned to implement the instructions in letter and spirit to ensure the selection of the most deserving athletes for higher-level competitions.
