Rift over top athletes skipping CWG
Less than three months ahead of the Commonwealth Games, sports minister M S Gill and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi are sparring over some top athletes pulling out of the games.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: Less than three months ahead of the Commonwealth Games, sports minister M S Gill and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi are sparring over some top athletes pulling out of the games.
The minister expressed his disappointment over the athletes deciding to skip the games saying he did not want a second grade team. However, Mr Kalmadi said it did not matter if one or two players did not participate. “The world knows that India has spent lavishly for organising the Commonwealth Games. The stadia we built match the best in the world and are far in excess of the requirement. It is therefore sad that some of the leading sportspersons are not coming to India,” Mr Gill said. The minister asked CGF President Mike Fennell to bring those champions to New Delhi instead of an army of officials.
He said that though for the Olympic Games, performance in events like Asian Games and European championships are taken into account, sportspersons did not attach the same importance to the Commonwealth Games. “This is a matter which I think we will discuss in the Commonwealth Sports Ministers’ meeting in Delhi on October 4,” Mr Gill said.
Mr Kalmadi did not share the minister’s concern and said the minister should not hype the issue. “It does not matter if one of two players skip the Commonwealth Games.... The best of the world are coming and new champions will be created," he said.
Among the top athletes who are skipping the Commonwealth Games in Delhi are Usain Bolt (100m & 200 m Olympic Champion), Asafa Powell (Former 100 m World Record Holder), Lleyton Hewitt (Former World No 1 tennis player), Andy Murray (Current World No 4 tennis player), Shelly Ann Fraser (Olympic & World 100 m Champion) and Chris Hoy(Quadruple Olympic gold medallist). According to Mr Kalmadi the “biggest squad ever is coming from every country” .
The minister expressed his disappointment over the athletes deciding to skip the games saying he did not want a second grade team. However, Mr Kalmadi said it did not matter if one or two players did not participate. “The world knows that India has spent lavishly for organising the Commonwealth Games. The stadia we built match the best in the world and are far in excess of the requirement. It is therefore sad that some of the leading sportspersons are not coming to India,” Mr Gill said. The minister asked CGF President Mike Fennell to bring those champions to New Delhi instead of an army of officials.
He said that though for the Olympic Games, performance in events like Asian Games and European championships are taken into account, sportspersons did not attach the same importance to the Commonwealth Games. “This is a matter which I think we will discuss in the Commonwealth Sports Ministers’ meeting in Delhi on October 4,” Mr Gill said.
Mr Kalmadi did not share the minister’s concern and said the minister should not hype the issue. “It does not matter if one of two players skip the Commonwealth Games.... The best of the world are coming and new champions will be created," he said.
Among the top athletes who are skipping the Commonwealth Games in Delhi are Usain Bolt (100m & 200 m Olympic Champion), Asafa Powell (Former 100 m World Record Holder), Lleyton Hewitt (Former World No 1 tennis player), Andy Murray (Current World No 4 tennis player), Shelly Ann Fraser (Olympic & World 100 m Champion) and Chris Hoy(Quadruple Olympic gold medallist). According to Mr Kalmadi the “biggest squad ever is coming from every country” .
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