“Cricket Commercialisation hurting other sports”

He said India need a sports policy which could benefit common man and criticised spending of crores of rupees to built cricket infrastructure.

“Today, almost every state is constructing cricket stadiums. But for what? They get to host one ODI in five years. Is not it wastage of resources? “India needs to think, which sport it wants. I think, we need a sports policy, which can benefit common man. The money spent on constructing one cricket stadium can buy many other facilities for all stadiums in Gujarat or Punjab.”

The sports minister also criticised the public for their obsession for cricket. “When cricketers lose they had to face abuse from the fans and the next day they are are received as superheroes and they play in crores. I don’t understand this. This should not be the personality of a country,” Gill said.

Gill cited lack of public support as a major reason for players’ underperformance in other sports. “No body wants to watch them (play). Which hockey or football player would strive to score a second goal when facing empty stands. Who will aim at breaking the record of Milkha Singh when there is no one to appreciate?” he said.

The former chief election commissioner also sympathized with the retired players, especially athletes, who are overlooked in the present system. “I have seen athletes, whom the poverty shattered. There is huge money in this huge country but no body is there to take care of those athletes, who won Gold medals for the country.

“The Prime Minister honoured them at that time but those very player died in acute poverty,” he said. Gill said he would approach cash-rich Indian Cricket Board to get money for the welfare of retired athletes.

“I will talk to Sharad Pawar (BCCI President) to get 20 crores rupees from their funds so that we can at least give pension to those gold medallists, who are in need of money. “It is shameful that we are not able to give them life-term pensions,” he said.