Sub Standard Broadcasting at the Interstate Athletics Championships Highlights India’s Deeper Athletics Problem
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The 64th National Inter State Athletics Championships was expected to be a celebration of record-breaking performances, with athletes rewriting the national charts in events ranging from the 400m to the throws. And while Indian athletes delivered on the track and in the field, the event once again exposed a problem that has plagued Indian sport for decades: the quality of its sports broadcasting. For viewers who tuned in, the commentary was, at times, nothing short of embarrassing.
In the hammer throw events, the commentators confused the basic implement weights across age categories a fundamental error that not only disrespects the athletes but also underlines how poorly athletics is understood and covered in India. Such mistakes are jarring, especially from someone that claims to have “six decades of experience” in covering sport. To compound the matter, the on-screen graphics were riddled with inaccuracies, and the commentary lacked both technical depth and emotional energy.
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This mediocrity in coverage stands in stark contrast to the athletes, who continue to push boundaries. A new national record in the 400m was a landmark moment, yet the broadcast failed to match the gravity of the achievement. Instead of contextualizing the record what it meant historically, who held it before, how it places India on the global map the commentary slid into generic, repetitive statements. For fans, coaches, and even the athletes themselves, such coverage does little justice to their effort.
The Hammer Throw Case: A Symptom of Deeper Gaps
The ignorance on display during the hammer throw coverage may seem like a minor slip, but it reflects a larger problem. Hammer throw, in particular, has long suffered from neglect in India not just in coverage, but in infrastructure, coaching, and long-term athlete development. Take the example of Damneet Singh and Nitesh Poonia, two of India’s brightest junior hammer prospects. Damneet won a historic silver medal at the 2017 World U18 Championships with a throw of 74.20m using the 5kg hammer, while Nitesh set a national U18 record of 81.47m in 2018.
Yet both athletes have struggled to transition to the senior implement (7.26kg). Damneet’s best with the senior hammer stands at 69.87m, and Nitesh plateaued below 70m. In comparison, Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan, who defeated Damneet in that 2017 final, has seamlessly transitioned. From throwing 82.31m with the 5kg hammer as a teenager, Kokhan now has an 81.66m mark with the senior hammer and is ranked among the world’s best. The contrast is stark. India has the raw talent athletes capable of producing world-class junior marks but something breaks down in the pathway to senior success.
The gap between Indian juniors and seniors in hammer throw is not just about the weight difference of the implement. It is about systemic issues:
- Biomechanics and Strength Transition: The 7.26kg hammer requires different levels of functional strength and technique. Indian athletes often train for junior success but lack the long-term preparation needed for senior adaptation.
- Coaching Gaps: Fragmented coaching philosophies, lack of specialized foreign expertise, and outdated training methods mean athletes are not guided effectively through the transition.
- Infrastructure and Support: Access to high-quality facilities remains inconsistent. Athletes from modest backgrounds struggle to afford nutrition and recovery tools essential for elite performance.
- Systemic Burnout: Studies show that only a handful of Indian youth medalists at Asian or World events continue competing at the senior level. Early specialization, financial strain, and poor support systems drive many out of the sport.
Against this backdrop, when broadcasters fail to even identify the correct hammer weight for a competition, it does not just appear careless it highlights the lack of seriousness across the entire sporting ecosystem.
Broadcasting Matters More Than We Think
Why does poor commentary matter? Because broadcasting shapes perception. For the casual fan watching athletics, the commentator is often their only guide to understanding what is happening. A poorly explained event discourages interest, while informed, energetic coverage can create new fans.
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Consider how javelin coverage transformed in India after Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic gold. Every broadcast since has leaned into explaining angles, release points, and distances with far greater detail. Athletics needs the same level of respect across all events. When a broadcaster dismisses or misrepresents hammer throw or fails to frame a 400m national record as historic it reduces the sport’s chance of growing an audience.
For Indian athletics to thrive, change is needed on two fronts.
- Reforming the Development Pathway:
- Focus less on early record-chasing and more on holistic long-term training.
- Establish high-performance centers with integrated coaching, sports science, and psychological support.
- Provide direct financial aid for training, nutrition, and recovery to reduce athlete attrition.
- Revolutionizing Sports Broadcasting:
- Train a new generation of athletics commentators who understand the technical nuances of events.
- Invest in graphics and analytics to bring broadcasts closer to global standards.
- Encourage broadcasters to work with former athletes and coaches to add insight and credibility.
The 64th Indian Inter State Championships underlined two realities. On one side, Indian athletes are breaking records, from the track to the throws, proving that talent and potential exist in abundance. On the other, the broadcasting of these events remains stuck in the past uninformed, unprofessional, and unable to match the excitement unfolding on the field.
Until India fixes both its developmental gaps in athletics and its broadcasting standards, moments of brilliance will continue to be lost in translation. The athletes deserve better. The fans deserve better. And if India aspires to be a true athletics powerhouse, it must treat both performance and presentation with equal seriousness.
