Top performer dropped, NDBA alleges favouritism

According to a press release issued by NDBA,top performer of Nagpur girls team in the recently held Maharashtra state selection sub-junior basketball championship Anandi Sonewane was on Thursday dropped from the 12-member state team for the nationals.

The association said riding on the performance of Anandi Nagpur team won a silver medal in the U-13 state tournament in Kolhapur. Still after the camp she was not selected. Instead, another Nagpur girl Arya Dagarwar of Shivaji Nagar Gymkhana (SNG) who is from the club of Maha Basketball Association (MBA) secretary Shatrughna Gokhale was selected.

If one compares the performance of both the players, then Anandi must be in the Maharashtra team. Nagpur team played five matches including the final where Anandi scored a total of 64 points and Arya scored just 17 points. President of Nagpur District Basketball Association (NDBA) Sandip Joshi was critical of the injustice. In a clear message to the secretary of MBA, Joshi said, “For your personal selfishness, please don’t play with the future of young players. See the comparison of both the Nagpur players. First of all, If Nagpur team played in the finals then both the Nagpur players should have been selected in the Maharashtra team. After comparing both then I feel Anandi shouldn’t have been ignored.”

Joshi added, “Because of Anandi’s performance Nagpur team was able to reach the final. She has scored 64 points in the five matches and has performed consistently in the tournament. If performance of a player is not considered, then what has to be the criteria to get selected in the team. Joshi said he has received many complaints in the past against Gokhale about favouring players of his own club SNG but this time we won’t remain silent and NDBA will surely take action.