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Journalism of Courage
A close 400 m relay is one of the most thrilling sights in world sport. Packed into a few up-and-down minutes are teamwork,coordination,individual brilliance and sustained,unflagging speed. Indias women won the relay at Delhis Commonwealth Games; they won it again on the penultimate day of Guanghzous Asian Games,an event that was indisputably world-class. The power of their achievement and of Indias other competitors,who helped India to a record-setting performance has many dimensions. Sport has the ability to bind and uplift,and few things do that like a great multi-sport event,as post-CWG Delhi can attest. Guangzhous meticulously planned event has revitalised the city and asserted Chinas sport supremacy,and the Olympics preparation is reviving London and British sport. So,why,precisely,is the government dilly-dallying over bidding for the 2019 Asiad?
There was concern,initially,that India could miss the bus because the Olympic Council of Asia was meeting this month. However,it is clear now that 2019 bids will be accepted till February 2011. Yet the Indian sport establishment is yet to show sufficient enthusiasm. Indeed,Sports Minister M.S. Gill told Parliament: We will carefully take on board the recommendations of the Shunglu Committee,the CAG,the CVC,etc before agreeing to host similar international sporting events. This attitude betrays a gross lack of administrative will and foresight and it holds hostage longer-term aspirations of tomorrow to the shorter-term political firefighting of today. Gill and his government must know that they are answerable to the next generation of Indian athletes too. For a reason why,recall Ashish Kumars words after he won India a rare gymnastics medal at Guangzhou: to cope,he said,he tried to remember the home-crowds cheer that had lifted him in Delhi a month ago. All athletes need such periodic doses of home cheer while competing against the best. And their achievements in such circumstances are crucial to consolidate aspiration amongst young spectators.
