Curious case of Indian sports

Past few days must have given nightmares to sports lovers and athletes as well. The period did not go well for any faction of the sports. From cricket to Olympics, from archery to boxing, all were bewildered over the events happening around. In cricket, India could not make advantage of home grounds loosing the 3rd test series to England and paving the way to lead series 2-1; international Olympic committee (IOC) suspended Indian Olympic association (IOA) and Archery association of India (AAI) and Indian amateur boxing federation (IABF) met the same fate by their respective authorities.

Forget about cricket, it is a never ending drama by our beloved Indian cricket team. Performing fantastically and then at the next moment so dismally, only give newspapers the material to hog the headlines next day in the morning newspaper while praising them for their emphatic win and criticising them for their unexpectedly low performances. It also does serve as the ‘masala’ for the numerous news channels to broadcast for one whole day or till the time they get another masala news to resort to.

Sports associations are suspended on the grounds of non-compliance and misbehaviour with their concerned international bodies. On the one hand, where IOA did not comply with IOC’s Olympic charter viz-a-viz election process, following good governance principles etc. while on the other hand both AAI and IABF were suspended for almost similar reasons.

No doubt, the act has brought shame to the nation. Though the issue of politicians sticking to the top chairs in the concerned associations have been brought forward many times by media or by sportspersons, less has been done to address to the needs and demands of the disgruntled athletes. Indian sports in the hands of non sports men in general and politicians in particular, have been at the lowest ebb for the decades and have continued performing not to the expectations at the recently held mega events like Olympics and Asian games.  

Due to absence of well constructed sports policy, with a focus on training and coaching for the athletes, the Indians could not prove their mettle at the supranational games. Not much concerned with what brings shame to the nation, politicians holding top positions for the aeons, instead of doing for welfare of the Indian sports, have always sought for the autonomy and security of their chair.

During this course the most affected people are- the athletes. They will be deprived of the pride and dignity with which they carry the Indian flag to the sports meet. Much to the consolation, according to IOC, the athletes can still participate in the event but independently, not under the banner of India. On the part of sportspersons, it would be advisable not to participate in the event with such a condition. After all there would be hardly any player who fights for himself and not for the nation. What matters at such an event is the patriotic feeling you carry for your mother country and the overwhelming praise and admiration it brings to you when you win a medal.

Proving to be blessings in the disguise, the suspension has indeed provided an opportunity to cleanse the sports bodies, remove the politicians and tainted officials and appoint eminent sportspersons and athletes to the top most positions. They should be mandated to frame the policies and take the decisions with regard to proliferation of the sports. Policies should focus more on training and funding of the athletes. Like China, India can resort to abstaining from Olympics, tighten their loose ends and prepare itself to stand against big guns like USA and China at multination events.

The short term shame and blot to dignity, if taken as lessons and needed homework is done, can prove to be silver lining. If it is so, such events are much welcome, however, every individual be it politicians, sportspersons and athletes must work together and find the way to make India flourish rather further undermining its dignity. With a co-ordinated and focused team the dream of topping the Olympic tally would not be far from reality.