Keep the politicians out of sports: Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today threw his weight behind keeping politicians out of sports bodies in the country and said sportspersons themselves should be at the helm of affairs.

"When you are talking about sports and how to make it accessible, then more and more powers should go the sports people when deciding things about sports in the country," Gandhi said at the launch of 'National Youth Policy 2014' and ' Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan' here.

"I think that's the crux of it. Keep the politicians out of sports if you want to put it directly."

Rahul said it is similar to empowering common man to help change politics in the country.

"The same applies to politics. If you want to change the politics in the country, give more and more power to young people, give more power to the common man and you change the politics," Gandhi added.

National Youth Policy 2014 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, a Centrally Sponsored Plan Scheme were launched at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here today.

Sports Minister Jitendra Singh, Mary Kom, Vijender Singh, P Gopichand, Ashwini Nachappa, Ronjan Sodhi and Karnam Malleswari were also present on the occasion.

The two programmes were also simultaneously launched at district headquarters and in universities throughout the country.