Published Sep 07, 2022 | 8:31 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 07, 2022 | 8:31 AM
Billiards and snooker have been omitted from the 36th edition of the National Games, scheduled from 27 September to 10 October. (Pankaj Advani/Twitter)
Expressing his dismay over the exclusion of billiards and snooker from the 2022 National Games, veteran Indian cueist Pankaj Advani wrote to Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday, 6 September.
Bengaluru-based Advani, a 23-time International Billiards and Snooker (IBSF) world champion, requested the inclusion of billiards and snooker at the 36th edition of the National Games, which are scheduled in Gujarat from 27 September to 10 October this year.
The National Games, which began in Lahore in 1924, are the highest Indian sporting event and will witness athletes participating across 36 disciplines.
“It comes as a great disappointment… As per the IDA directive, Billiards & Snooker were part of the 2019 National Games which were scheduled to be held in Goa. However, it is extremely unfortunate that our sport has been excluded from the deferred edition,” the 2018 Padma Bhushan recipient said in his letter.
The 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games gold medalist pointed to the many medals cueists have won for India over the years in various billiards and snooker championships.
Billiards and Snooker not part of National Games. Disappointed. My letter of appeal to Hon Sports Minister Sir 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/sWesw7SWP0
— Pankaj Advani (@PankajAdvani247) September 6, 2022
Advani also mentioned an anecdote from his childhood that motivated him to take up the table sport.
“In 1997, when the National Games were held In Bengaluru, I was granted leave of absence from school to watch the matches and help out as a scorer. This when I was just twelve years old! Watching the stalwarts in action inspired me to take up the sport seriously and this subsequently became my fulltime career,” the 37-year-old recalled.
Advani after winning the Asian billiards title in March this year. (Twitter/Pankaj Advani)
He added, “Like me, many youngsters would be motivated to take up cue sport as a career if the discipline were to be included in the current and future editions of the prestigious National Games.”
Advani stressed the importance of participation for a cue sport athlete in the National Games.
“State Governments and PSUs honour and reward National Games medalists handsomely and it is only fair that the Billiards and Snooker fraternity should get an opportunity to vie for these honours,” said the youngest national snooker champion who, at the age of 17, won the Senior Snooker Championship in 2003.
Advani, who was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2006, also observed, “Billiards and Snooker is a priority sport as per the Sports Code charter and dropping it will have serious repercussions on the future of the game.”
