POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 26 April 2008

Chak De India, Indeed!

MONEY MAKES TAMASHA OF SPORTS

By Poonam I Kaushish

So much for Chak de India! After the Shah Rukh Khan block buster which eulogised hockey, our national game, to a winning high of sportsmen spirit and national honour, comes a reality check. The underhand diabolical parde ke peeche sordidness of berths in teams being sold for a few rupees and more. That it smacks of everything that is wrong with Indian sport. Corruption, bribery, parochialism et al.

The recent most kissa being an exposure by a TV channel’s sting operation of the Indian Hockey Federation’s Secretary K. Jothikumaran taking money to induct a player into the national team. Leading the newly-appointed Sports Minister MS Gill to ask the Federation’s President KPS Gill to resign.  

Odd as it may sound, but it took a simple sting to confirm what has been an open secret for years. The grip of greed over the game. Three years ago, a national selector and former Indian captain, Aslam Sher Khan, quit over KPS Gill and his cronies preparing a list of the team and then asking the selectors to ratify it! Another hockey international, Gagan Ajit Singh, alleged that complete unknowns were included in the national team.

Any wonder then that for the first time India failed to qualify for the Olympics. In the last two Olympics too, we finished seventh. Worse, India could lose the chance to host the 2010 Hockey World Cup if we don’t improve our performance.

Why only hockey? See how the IPL has converted the gentleman game cricket into one big tamasha.  Think of a fizzy cocktail of superstars, business magnates, airline tycoons, glitterati and chatteratti, razzmatazz entertainment topped by skimpily clad cheerleaders  with their pom-poms specially flow in from the US. Never mind that it stokes the baser instincts of the masses. Which has replaced not only the saas-bahu serials but also Bollywood films in the TRP ratings. Clearly, instant cricket never had it so good.

Raising a moot point: Is this what cricket is all about? Is this what the future holds? Today it is cricket, tomorrow hockey, football, tennis and so on. Will it stump sports for ever? Arguably, the IPL has ‘globalised’ cricket. A heady mix of cricketers crossing international boundaries. Showcasing cross-cultural encounters with Australian captain Ricky Ponting hugging former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly.  Something unimaginable two months ago when they accused each other of unsporting behaviour during the Australia-India matches.

Besides, it is providing an opportunity for Indian players to watch, learn and play alongside some of international cricket's hardest-working stars. Players like VVVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh are in addition getting an opportunity to experience the responsibilities and pressures of leadership. So what if monetary interests, rather than any fondness for cricket drive the owners to gamble. After all it is about developing the game and nurturing talent.

However, what happens to invoking the spirit of Mera Bharat Mahan? Needless to say the IPL has come to symbolise some of the worst features of nationalism. Wherein national rivalries now stoke regional bias and fuel city-centric hooliganism. Last week’s altercation between Mumbai Indians Captain Harbhajan and Punjab Kings Sreesanth are clear signs of how Team India compatriots are today’s arch rivals. Interspersed with accusations and counter-accusations. So much for calling it a gentleman’s game. A money-spinning machine is more apt.

In addition, isn’t it a strange site to see a crowd cheer two Australians bowl out an Indian player.  Already, fans are hooting for the colour of a team’s dress rather than cricketing skills. Many fear that the game is being undermined at the national level thanks to the bucks. Players today might be keener on playing for the IPL rather than for the country. Not a few cricketers assert that the IPL is too hot to be ignored no matter the national pride. Worse, it has resulted in a moral debate. Parliament was rocked when political leaders called the cheer leaders as "cricket's item numbers worse than bar dancers" who are making a "mockery of cricket."

However, many viewers are perplexed. Which team do they root for? Deccan Chargers with Andrew Symonds or Chennai Super Kings with Dhoni? Who do they applaud? Australian Ricky Ponting or our homegrown Banga bandhu Ganguly? It is kind of absurd that we have Team India players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVVS Lakshman, Yuvraj Singh playing arch rivals

Happily, post the hockey fiasco and the IPL circus, Sports Minister Gill, has declared that the sports scene was in for a major overhaul. Towards that end he has put all sports federations on notice: they would be held accountable for their sport's performance. However, these are mere symptoms of a rotten system. The malaise is deeper and needs a complete overhaul.

One of the major problems is that we are not serious about sports. We talk of sporting events as an aside. Nothing more than a conversation point which sounds good. In keeping with our herd mentality we follow the fads with the changing season. Today cricket may be fashionable, tomorrow it may be football.

The problem is compounded by total failure of sports management system, leading to bad planning. Candidly lamented Sports Minister Gill: “The culture of sports has not been indicated in our youth. We have not prepared the country on the importance of sports. Primary importance is given to preparing the youth to earn a livelihood. Education is tailor-made to emphasis studies as a stepping stone to a career as an engineer, doctor, teacher etc.

“We need to offer sports as a career option. It teaches us to be tolerant and inculcates a strong sense of nationalism. Where talent, not terror is used to savour the fruits of victory.” Brave words indeed. How? To make a start we have to wipe the slate clean. Like elsewhere, we have to follow the dictum of “catch-them-young”. A concept which is not new to India. But was dumped for reasons best known to the powers-that-be.

Leave alone training the youth, the coaches in India themselves need to be trained to coach! Take, for example, swimming. The Capital boasts of just one Olympic-size heated pool which can be used in winters, the equipment is outdated, touch-pads, basic requisite to clock swimmers are non-existent. There are no sports doctors to minister ailments or dieticians to guide eating habits. After 60 years, we still have to come up with an advanced scientific academy of sports.

The million dollar question: How will we rescue sports, be it hockey or cricket from the Octopus-like grip of money and bribe? When will we pull up our socks?  A beginning has to be made. Sooner the better or else we will say indeed Chak De India!---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)