ASMITA Women’s Rugby League Kicks Off in Raipur
The next leg of the ASMITA Women’s Rugby League, organized by Rugby India in association with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), is going to be held at Raipur. However, the tournament, being played at the Swami Vivekanand Stadium, Kota, will involve about 320 players, 31 teams engaging in various age categories with the participation of coaches and match officials.
The mission of ASMITA is to achieve sports milestones by inspiring women through action and to promote women’s rugby and get more women into sports across the country. The Khelo India flagship program focuses on inclusion in sports and strives to attain sporting excellence through work at the grassroots level, essentially making the league a part of that.
‘All thanks to the ASMITA Women’s Rugby League, young female rugby players in the country now have a vibrant, new platform to engage with the sport,’ said Indian Rugby Football Union President Rahul Bose. ‘Thank you to MYAS and SAI for your support towards bringing rugby football to the country.’ We’d also like to thank MYAS and SAI for their continued support and trust”.
The two-day tournament will feature 66 teams, divided into three age categories: rather, sort of a Sub-Junior (U14), Junior (U18), and Senior Women. Each team will play at least two matches per day, and matches will take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. This is of the right format for maximum exposure and participation of the players, and this is in tune with the league’s aim of nurturing talent and encouraging participation by the masses in women’s sports.
The creation of the ASMITA Women’s Rugby League is a vital first step in allowing young female athletes to rise above the mass of mediocre opportunities available to them by promoting the idea of competition. The initiative also notes the increasing acknowledgment and support for women’s rugby in India, which has often competed against other sports for attention.
