The Swimming Federation of India is the premier swimming body in India. It is tasked with organising and overseeing swimming competitions in India and ensuring swimming is promoted at a grassroots level. For decades SFI has been at the forefront of swimming in India — connected to all the swimming associations from different states. SFI organises competitions on a state level and even at sub-juniors in association with these organisations.
Last year, to streamline the sports- SFI introduced UID or Universal Identification — this would be a unique number assigned to every swimmer taking part in any SFI organised meet. Swimmers had to register in a GMS (general management system). This system is quite heartening as it would reduce the back and forth that usually takes in terms of identification and verification.
In 2021, SFI opened the system to all and swimmers were encouraged to register. But there was a surprise in store for swimmers in 2022. As SFI gets ready to organise the Sub-Juniors & Juniors events, swimmers are asked to cough up Rs. 1000 when logging into the GMS as renewal fees for the UID. This fee has been turned into a recurring one, as swimmers wanting to participate in any of the SFI events would be required to have a UID, and the same won’t be updated until the fees are paid.
This is a sad thing for Indian swimming, especially at Sub-Junior & Junior levels, where parents will be forced to pay up the annual fee. A thousand rupees is a significant amount for any Indian family. Considering that swimming as a sport is an expensive one, with almost no returns. Indian swimming parents are already under much burden — namely, academy fees, equipment fees, racing wear, travel, etc. Another burden of Rs. 1000 is anything but fair.
The worse part is that there is no clarity on the benefits that would be provided to the swimmers in lieu of the UID, except their ability to participate in swimming competitions — for which they will have to pay additional fees. This is all the more devastating for young swimmers, as much of the camps and the training organised by SFI is tuned towards the older swimmers, who get sent to camps and competitions abroad. Even the camps in India are organised only for a select elite lot. There are no scholarships available until you can compete and win at Khelo India levels.
There is an urgent need to encourage swimming at the younger levels, in the 10-12 age group. And one of them is to give incentives, provide guidance, and aid this group — so that we have a strong bench of swimmers for the future. Many swimmers in India do not come from privileged families that can train abroad and then also appear for domestic championships in India.
SFI is a recipient of grants and funds from the central government — through the Sports Authority of India and has sponsors for its events, like Glenmark Aquatic Foundation for the national championships. Even on the UID card, there is a logo of Speedo company. When the sports body can generate enough and more funds through such channels, is there a need to burden young and aspiring swimmers? As India’s premier and representative body of swimming in India, SFI should take the lead and understand the trials and tribulations of Indian swimming parents and help them turn their kids into sporting icons for the sport and the nation and not coerce them into paying fees.
Thus coming back to our opening question. SFI should not charge fees for UID, at least till there is more clarity on what will be the long-terms plans that would be put into place to promote swimming especially at the younger levels.