Boxed in

Bob Woolmer8217;s death after Pakistan8217;s exit in the first round of the World Cup brings into focus the darker side of sport. The exact medical facts of the Pakistan coach8217;s demise are not clear, but it came in the course of a weekend that echoed with the direst of threats and warnings in the subcontinent. With India too suffering a shock defeat to Bangladesh, disappointment exposed something ugly. Pakistan8217;s cricketers openly feared returning home; here in India, 8220;fans8221; tried to attack Mahendra Singh Dhoni8217;s house in Ranchi and others busied themselves with plans for a similar assault on Rahul Dravid8217;s.

Whatever happened to the traditional reactions available to disappointed spectators: to switch off from the game altogether or to analyse what went wrong. The problem is that blanket television coverage, more in evidence this World Cup than at any time earlier, has sought to make the spectator a high-stakes participant. For weeks in advance, the spectator has been invited to take part in exercises in soothsaying, thereby blurring the line between event and observer. We have been so primed for success, we have been through the paces to the last glorious stages of the championship so many times, that his unexpected hiccup 8212; the loss to Bangladesh 8212; is almost taken to be a breach of contract.

There is no breach in defeat. The only playing contract international cricketers have is with their boards; by it they abide to be available to play under certain conditions. And in case they play below par, the only penalty they can draw is to be dropped. This violence and extreme negativism in the aftermath of defeat is in fact just a symptom. The problem is that so many of us cannot keep victory in cricket in perspective. Imagine for a moment if India were to trot up amazing wins to get into the final. What would happen? Parliament would convey its best wishes, prayer services one for Ganguly already took place this month would be organised, and the cricketers feted with rewards. All this, just for a game?