Olympic Games — the world's biggest sporting spectacle — has thrown up new heroes before the Indian nation. India now has its own Rocky. On Friday, Indian boxer Vijender Singh went down fighting a semi-final bout at the Beijing Olympics. Across the country people stayed glued to watch the Bhiwani lad take on the Cuban boxer. And though he did not win the bout, the day will be remembered for the birth of a new interest - in any sports other than cricket.
One gold, courtesy shooter Abhinav Bindra, two bronzes, courtesy a boxer and a wrestler who came out of the blue - can sports other than cricket finally get recognition in India?
CNN-IBN asked that question on its show Face the Nation. On the panel, to debate the question were former Billiards champion and Padmabhushan awardee, Michael Ferreira; Lokesh Kumar, Managing Director, 21st Century Media Ltd and well-known columnist, Debraj Mookerjee.
Michael Ferreira said that he would like to see everyone get real. He highlighted that the entire nation watched the event not because we are a sporty or sporting nation or in love with wrestling and boxing per se. We watched because we were desperately angling for the elusive Olympic gold.
“We do not have a nationwide interest in any other sport apart from cricket, and this is where we have to change,” said the former Billiards champion.
Olympians, Anyone?
Sports, at the end of the day, is a brand. Why can’t we have these names sold like a Dhoni or a Yuvraj?
Lokesh Kumar, complained that it is a real shame that we compare all the top class winners like (Olympians Abhinav Bindra, Sushil Kumar or Vijender Kumar) to even fringe cricketers.
“Let cricket do its own thing,” said Lokesh Kumar on the back foot. “For the first time we had a belief that we could go for it and win. That is the thing that is going to trigger a huge revolution in the country,” he argued.
Sports must to cut across social barriers. Wrestling is not an elitist sport and its players will be people from a certain section of society and cannot be converted into commercial commodities. Is that why these wrestling or boxing lads do not getting grabbed or mobbed like the players of the gentlemen’s game?
How does one generate interest in these sports?
“In sports, a spectacle is what you watch on television, while a sport is what you go and watch on a field. Sport is the best way to mobilize people into something constructive which is actually what happened in Bhiwani,” countered Debraj Mookerjee.
A Flash In The Pan Or Here To Stay
So were these wins only fluke ones or is it going to change something on the ground? Would someone now sponsor, for instance, an ‘akhara’ that trains these kids.
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Mookerjee opined that schools promote sports because they imbibe in the kids, a certain life-skill building attitude.
Rural kids take to sports like fish takes to water and Mookerjee said that he wondered if this inherent interest will ever be converted into an active love for sports.
Michael Ferreira was less forgiving about the lapses in promoting other sports. “I am a bit cynical. At the end of the day why does cricket command such a premium? For the simple reason that its on the tube for so long,” he complained.
Marksman Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore’s case is a typical example Ferreira used to drive his point home.
Ever since Rathore turned a clay target into a puff of pink dust in the last Olympics at Athens, Indian shooters have become an elite bunch of athletes. 'Chilly' Rathore is now the inspiration and benchmark for many…but no sponsors lunged at this handsome model complained Ferreira.
“A young cricketer takes a few wickets and sponsors are beating the path to his door. Is this logical? Yes, it is because corporate India wants more bank-rich bucks. That is the bottom-line. They want exposure. But I put it to you; corporate India must act like responsible citizens too. There is something beyond mere commerce. There is something like enhancing India’s image,” he said.
Change Your Priorities, India
On the day Abhinav won the gold at Beijing, television ratings fell and the same were higher on days when the cricketing tales of Ajantha Mendis were on air.
But Lokesh Kumar’s take on the issue was different and analytical.
“I do not agree. Abhinav’s gold medal is one of the high points of our sporting history. The ratings must have fallen because the event happened in the morning when not many people are tuned in to their TV sets and also because not many people really expected any fireworks at the Olympics,” Lokesh Kumar offered.
“How many times has our country’s Prime Minister or the President congratulated an athlete? People were just caught off guard during this victory, but I am sure that in the subsequent days the television ratings must have perked up just as people realised that something was happening with the Indian contingent there,” he added.
Life Will Go On
Abhinav Bindra told CNN-IBN about how much he expected life to change after his gold haul at Beijing. “Life will go on,” he had said pragmatically.
Ferreira feels something akin to that. “We have been caught up in euphoria. Who is going to remember them after two months? There will be stupor until the next Olympics. Where are the modeling assignments going to come from? Can you imagine anyone wanting Akhil Kumar? Damned handsome, great body but will not get any great assignments,” Ferreira lamented.
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Lokesh Kumar expressed that it is unfair to keep comparing other sports with cricket. “Let these lads do consistently well and stay in public notice and memory for longer. The responsibility of running the sport lies with the federation or the Indian Olympic committee. I am sure there will be takers after the show of consistency,” Lokesh Kumar said.
Ferreira then pointed out that he is not buying the ‘consistency’ talk from the sponsors. “The shooters have always been performing well. Can anything match the good looks of ‘Chilli’ Rathore? No, but all that the corporate India wants is more bank for its bucks.
Kumar pointed out that cricket’s richest sporting body, the BCCI cannot be faulted for they were one of the first to rise, applaud and reward Abhinav Bindra for the gold medal.
“I would like to see what they do for the boxers, one of whom – Sushil Kumar, belongs to Virender Sehwag’s hometown Najafgarh,” challenged Ferreira.
Where does India go from here? Does it rest on its past laurels or does it instead, work with a roadmap for more success in the future. Most Indians feel that we aren’t getting anywhere closer to embracing any other sport apart from cricket…not quite yet.
Results of the SMS/Web poll: Can sports other than cricket finally get recognition in India?
Yes: 67 per cent
No: 33 per cent
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