The Sangharsh Conflict

Drishti investigates into the recent heated conflict in the Sangharsh Nandaka vs. Vajra Basketball encounter, aiming to provide an objective assessment of the incident and comments from various stakeholders.

INTRODUCTION

Sangharsh, an annual sporting competition organized by the Sports Council of IIT Dharwad, has etched its name as a pinnacle of athleticism and competition. This year’s edition even marked the introduction of exciting player auctions. With thrilling matches in various sports, including chess, basketball, volleyball, cricket and many others, it’s an event that has captured the hearts and attention of many sports enthusiasts in our college. Sangharh consists of four teams: Nandaka, Sharanga, Brahmashira and Vajra. Athletes eagerly registered for the auction, through which players were recruited into teams. Each team is headed by a group of athletes who have excelled previously in their respective sport, have good control over their gameplay, and are hence well recognized for that particular sport. Sangharsh beckons passionate students to showcase their talents in the sport of their choice, spanning a year of spirited competition that culminates in a grand display of sportsmanship at IIT Dharwad.

Regrettably, the recent Nandaka versus Vajra basketball match held on September 8th, 2023, was marred by a serious escalation of emotions. In response to popular demand for an investigation, Drishti has diligently conducted an inquiry into the matter, and we are now prepared to share our findings.

THE INCIDENT

The Sangharsh Basketball match between Nandaka and Vajra was scheduled for the 8th of August. One of the first matches of the tournament, it had garnered a sizable crowd of spectators who were supporting their respective teams. The match unfolded as an intensely charged encounter, marked by spirited exchanges and, regrettably, instances of verbal aggression and unsportsmanlike conduct. Reports from spectators alleged that a player of Vajra’s team engaged in a display of inappropriate gestures. Leading by merely one point, in the end, Vajra won, having scored 33 points.

In the immediate aftermath of the final whistle, a Vajra supporter brazenly entered the court, mocking Nandaka’s players with customary celebrations. This triggered a Nandaka player who grabbed the Vajra supporter’s collar in the heat of the moment. The supporter swiftly retaliated in response, resulting in a brief scuffle characterized by shouting and physical engagement. The intervention of onlookers from the crowd promptly suppressed the altercation.

Subsequent reports indicated that the Nandaka player’s acquaintances had threatened to visit the Permanent campus, where the Vajra supporter resided, with intentions of physical confrontation. However, as of yet, there have been no reports of any such incident taking place.

STATEMENTS

General Secretary Sports Affairs

I speak on behalf of the entire sports Council as well as the sporting fraternity of IIT Dharwad, the recent incident at the basketball court was in total contempt of the spirit we wish to inculcate amongst our athletes.

As it was an intense match that went down to the wire, we understand that tensions were high, but that is not an excuse for the actions that followed. As athletes we must be respectful of the boundaries that govern sportsmanship and respond to provocation with our skill on court .

All founding members are requested to pass on this message within their respective clubs. Any and all incidents involving misconduct will be investigated, and appropriate penalties will be levied.

Let’s all take a step towards fostering competition, not animosity.

Team Nandaka

Sledging is common in sports. That match was a nail biting thriller… Everyone was on top of their adrenaline rush…at that point, I felt that people went beyond sledging and broke the line where they went on to disrespect seniors/ visiting on their skills… that made one player triggered, and he lost his cool and lowkey argued that the junior must respect seniors..and he also said that he doesn’t have a problem when a junior from opponent team says that coz it’s part of the game. The matter was resolved then and there by the senior players from both teams..that the incident was impulse we’re sorry about the targeted anti-cheering. Ended on good terms

Team Vajra

Okay, yeah. So, when the GS sport first introduced this auction thing, and when he initially told me about it, I thought, ‘Okay, this is much better compared to the hostel matches.’ Hostel matches automatically categorize you within your year and group. So, I found it nice that it doesn’t create a lot of separation between first and second years, RS, and PhD students since we all have separate hostels. I thought it was a good initiative because, in a club setting, you have first years, second years, RS, and PhD students all mingling together. The main aim was to have a system where everyone is connected from day one, where seniors introduce first-year students to a campus lifestyle through sports. That was the goal.

This happens in sports; sledging always happens. So, it’s not a junior-senior thing. Even when research scholars used to play with B.Tech students, people used to engage in sledging, and vice versa. It’s a natural part of the game. You just have to maintain some decorum, some boundaries. We can support our teams, and sledging is also fine, but there’s good sledging and bad sledging, right? But sometimes, it happens in the heat of the moment. We don’t exactly know what happened with the two parties involved; we got a rough idea later.

We should respect each other’s teams respect the game because if we’re going to give our all to play, I think our supporters should do the same. In my opinion, sledging is fine, but not the proactive kind. It’s worth noting that there was sledging from fans of both teams. This was all in the heat of the moment. Let’s learn, adapt, and move away from mixing the essence of the game with this issue. Both parties were triggered for various reasons; let’s just shake hands and move on from this. Come to the court, enjoy the game, support your team, and hype yourselves up. Sports and drama are linked, but let’s all keep the drama to a minimum.

Team Brahmashira

The incident which followed after the basketball match between Nandaka and Vajra, we Brahmashira, as a team believe, was unintended and could have been avoided. The match was intense and filled with great performances, and one of the teams was going to end at the losing side, but we believe especially moments like these are the crucial stages where sportsmanship should be held at its peak. We believe in the decision taking ability of the council, ensuring such incidents won’t be happening in the foreseeable future.

Team Sharanga

The unbecoming incident that happened on the basketball court after the match between Nandaka and Vajra could have been avoided had the player shown sportsmanship in spite of the provocation from the opposition team. Sharanga, as a team, condemns these types of acts and trusts the council shall make the appropriate decision.

CONCLUSION

The outbreak of violence during Sangharsh’s basketball match clearly highlights a disheartening deficit in sportsmanship and a deteriorating demeanour among students. Although the physical altercation was averted by the intervention of supporters, teammates and officials, the incident leaves a scar on the audience who witnessed it and the broader student population. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the intensity and emotions that sports can evolve, raising pertinent questions about the absence of a structured mechanism to forestall such untoward incidents. The organising authorities have claimed that a comprehensive review of the incident is underway, and appropriate action will be taken. No penalties or preventative measures have been made as of yet.

We hope the incident will prompt the organisation body to adopt a more discerning approach to prevent future occurrences of this nature and proactively highlight the importance of maintaining sportsmanship amongst athletes.