NEW DELHI: India’s global sporting icons, six-time world champion boxer MC Mary Kom and captain of national football team Sunil Chhetri urged the nation to embrace sports and engage themselves in regular physical activity after a recent report revealed that kids and adults in the country lack the motivation to participate in sports and physical activities.
The report formulated by PUMA India and analytics firm Nielsen Sports reveals that the lack of inspiration to pursue sport and fitness as a lifestyle was attributed to a lack of time by the respondents. Both kids and adults listed this as the primary barrier to participating in sports and physical activities, followed by other challenges such as lack of facilities and high cost.
The report also indicated that kids in India surprisingly spend only 86 minutes on physical activities in a week on average which is less than the adults of the country who average 101 minutes on a weekly basis.
Voicing her thoughts on the findings of the report Mary Kom said: “Sport and fitness activities are important for your wellbeing, no matter how old you are. In fact, it boosts brain power as you age. Given the hectic lives we lead, I feel sports must be a part of our daily regime. I persuade and encourage every Indian to work out or play at least one sport a day to keep fit.”
Emphasising the need to value sports as much as academics, football superstar Chhetri also expressed his thoughts on the state of play of India’s participation in sports and physical activities.
“The day we treat mathematics, science, geography, and sport equally in terms of importance, we will begin seeing a change. How can you improve athletically with one PT period in a week? Sports needs to be treated like a solid subject. It builds character, it is a serious career option and if nothing, it leaves you in a much better place on every front. Play a sport. Not to win but to compete, or get fitter. Just, simply play. It will teach you lessons that no textbook ever will,” said Chhetri. (IANS)
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