Case Study — 11 : Selection Committee's Dilemma in Sports

• 23 Nov 2018

Q. You have recently become part of the selection committee of three people, which oversees the final selection of the players for a team at the state level. The sponsorship of the tournament as well as of your team is largely dependent on a business house as the game played by your team has not been a very popular one and doles from the government and support from very few reluctant private business groups has kept the things going. Now, in the meeting of the selection committee, you realize that many of the players who have performed well in the local circuits are missing from the list of players selected for the nationals. Also, few players in the tentative playing list seem to be there only on account of the backing of some senior executives of that business house which is the main sponsor of the team as well as of the tournament to be held.

You are told by your colleagues that this is the accepted practice and any resistance to it will risk the very possibility of participation of the team in the tournament as the business house can delay necessary funds or even withdraw its sponsorship. This will ruin the chances of the team members – most of whom are there on the basis of their merit, to stake claim for selection in the national team. There is not enough time to manage funds from alternative sources or look for new sponsors.

What would you do under these circumstances:

1. You will allow the status-quo keeping in mind the larger interests of your team and practicality of the situation.
2. You will take a vocal stand against the malpractice in spite of the risk of jeopardizing the participation of your team in the present tournament.
3. Any other course of action.

Discuss the merits and demerits of each of the options available before you and rationalize your course of action in such a scenario.