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Reactions to the Ordinance outside the cricket world have been mixed, but there haven8217;t been the howls of outrage one would have expect...

Written by Sandeep Dwivedi

February 13, 2005 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

Reactions to the Ordinance outside the cricket world have been mixed, but there haven8217;t been the howls of outrage one would have expected. Indeed, while IOA president Suresh Kalmadi calls it 8216;8216;ridiculous8217;8217;, his vice-president Janardhan Gehlot, president of both the National Kabaddi Federation and the Rajasthan Olympic Association, doesn8217;t see anything wrong.

8216;8216;We at ROA have no problems with the Ordinance. Of course it is a threat to our autonomy but nothing major,8217;8217; he says.

Kalmadi disagrees. 8216;8216;The SC has said that the sports bodies are independent and the Olympic charter says the same. The state government should have no power like the formation of an ad-hoc committee of disaffiliating sports bodies,8217;8217; he says.

So what should the government8217;s role be? 8216;8216;The state should build stadiums, organise tournaments and generally promote a sporting culture,8217;8217; he answers.

Regulation, he says, is the IOA8217;s job.

His colleagues in Rajasthan don8217;t appear to cut up. Out of the 40 state associations which come under the Ordinance nine have got an all okay by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, 27 have applied for affiliation and are waiting for the clearance. That leaves four state associations 8212; handball, bridge, billiards and handicap cricket 8212; yet to react.

Hanuman Singh, president of the Rajasthan Handball Association, says his association hasn8217;t signed up only because of the death of a senior official. He8217;s very happy with the Ordinance. 8216;8216;The associations that are active have no problem. It will only bother those bodies who are just on paper and are happy to take government grants without conducting tournaments,8217;8217; he says.

What about the idea of the government acting as a regulating body? 8216;8216;It doesn8217;t matter to us who is policing us. There will always be someone on top. As long as we aren8217;t at fault why should we worry?8217;8217;

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Moolchand Chauhan, president of the Table Tennis Federation of India, says he8217;s not aware of all aspects of the Ordinance. But he8217;s clear on one thing: 8216;8216;I really welcome that part of the ordinance that disallows the individual members from voting.8217;8217;

The subtext is this: The more things change, the more they will remain the same.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More

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