ICF president wants to see the game of Carrom grow
ICF President Josef Meyer (C) was welcomed by Parakrama Basnayake, the CFSL President
For the first time in history, Carrom Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) will officially host a President of the International Carrom Federation (ICF) in the Indian Ocean country, coinciding the 50th Sri Lanka Carrom National Championship, which concludes today in Colombo.
Josef Meyer, the President of ICF becomes the first international chief to visit Sri Lanka in an official status, which occurs a couple of months after the CFSL administration was taken over by Parakrama Basnayake.
Meyer, himself a carrom player and an experienced administrator connected to Swiss Carrom Association and the European Carrom Confederation believes that Sri Lanka has fallen into the correct path after closer to an year’s in-activeness, both administratively and competitively.
“The ICF was really concerned when we began to hear that nothing actively has taken place for over nine months. At a point I was a player myself, it is tough and alarming when a national association is not protecting its players. There was a somewhat similar situation in India but in Sri Lanka it was different. In 2015 the ICF hear that a new administration took over and a year later we hear that there are no more competitions taking place. Nine months without a single game is a serious concern for a country. But I like where we are now, both the ICF and CFSL,” Meyer told the Sunday Times, upon his arrival in Sri Lanka.
Meyer, who runs his own business in asset management in Switzerland, was appointed to the ICF as its chief in 2014 and within a tenure of a term he has managed to streamline its structural, administrative and membership structures. With his experience at work, which comes handy, Meyer has transformed ICF into smoothly functioning international sports body, which he firmly believes his counterpart Basnayake could easily do at CFSL.
“I’m absolutely convinced by how Parakrama Basnayake is managing the sport in Sri Lanka. It has been evident during the past couple of months and I have received positive feedback from Sri Lankan players, who were once closely corresponding with the ICF about the lack of competitions for over nine months. I’m fully confident that Sri Lanka will take carrom into another level in the future,” Meyer, while confirming Sri Lanka as one of the powerhouses of world carrom, added.
Meyer’s observations, being active closer to three decades as a player, strangely from Europe where even carrom not spared by expatriates from Asia, the board sport has the potential to grow further if it is introduced to schools with a cemented plan. He sees that taking place in Sri Lanka with Basnayake initiating a project with the help of Sri Lanka Schools Carrom Association, but Meyer thinks the task is immense outside of Asia.
“The sport is growing in Europe for sure. Years ago top ranked players of many European and Americas countries were from Asia, but now we see a clear change in that. But it must be said that carrom is not as big in the West as it is, in particular in India and Sri Lanka. Europe is strong and growing because of the European Carrom Confederation, and I wish to see the Asian Carrom Confederation too become really active as that. It’s important carrom grows strong in Asia as an administrative group,” Meyer explained.
Meyer expects to continue another tenure as ICF President and his intention of a service extension is purely based on bringing in financial gains into carrom, which he clearly believes a possibility but not massively. He takes India as a model for that purpose where there are 30 state associations are based and Maharashtra being the most powerful one. Sri Lanka, Meyer believes come equally strong despite being smaller geographically. Taking over the administration of a sport that does not fancy much internationally in any aspect besides the passion that develops in a player to become future administrators, which is a slow progress, Meyer went on to say that he has faced the challenges already with a straight head.
“The first and biggest challenge for me was ‘nobody cared’ for the sport. It was India and Sri Lanka all the way at international level. But I managed to gradually change that attitude, it took one term to make that change and it probably will take another term to look into financial gains. Sometimes I help the ICF with my own money, I have sponsored World Championships and some other tournaments. Carrom has the potential to attract sponsors, but not in a massive way. The growth must begin from Asia, mainly India and Sri Lanka, and the rest will follow gradually. By now the ICF is using internet channels, such as YouTube, to promote carrom, which is a massive success. For Sri Lanka players, the game is bigger than anything else, and that’s a positive attitude the world should also follow,” Meyer, who will visit India after
Sri Lanka, to restore the Asian carrom body, detailed.