Thiruvananthapuram: Rino Anto, an Indian football player, expressed his disappointment as his application for a job under the sports quota was disregarded. The public administration department rejected his application for a sports quota appointment for the year 2015-2019. According to Rino Anto, the state government claimed that he did not meet the qualifications for the sports quota job.
Despite representing India or excelling in top clubs like ISL, players such as Rino and Anas face a disheartening situation where they are still awaiting job appointments under the sports quota, unlike the winners of the Santhosh Trophy and All India University competition who receive such opportunities from the government. The government’s eligibility criteria for sports quota jobs include participation in events like the World Cup, World University Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games, none of which the Indian senior team competes in.
Curiously, winners of the Santosh Trophy and All India Inter University Championship are considered for sports quota appointments, but those who participate in prestigious competitions like ISL and I-League are barred from taking part in events like the Santosh Trophy. The players have raised this concern, pointing out the inconsistency, but the government has refused to acknowledge it.
Despite efforts from prominent people like CK Vineeth, who is a member of the governing body of the Sports Council and an international star, to push for amendments to the existing rules and to consider players who have demonstrated excellence, the sports department remains unresponsive. Even with Rino’s impressive track record, having played 9 matches for India at the senior level, including a World Cup qualifier, he continues to struggle to secure a deserving job due to the state government’s negligence.
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