Recently two Olympic Committee Presidents spoke on the forthcoming Delhi Commonwealth Games. One speaks with sportsmanship while the other tries to carve a one man up. It is interesting to see who between them bear the semblance of sportspirit which should the guiding factor in the sporting community.
South African Olympic Committee President Gideon Sam compared criticism of India to that received by South Africa ahead of its ultimately successful hosting of the football World Cup.
“We had the same problems with these countries who complained before the FIFA World Cup, and I won’t even mention them because we know who they are,” he said. “As South Africans, we have always supported our friends … and India and Brazil are our best friends. We also want to host events like this, and it is unfair if they are hosted only by countries like England, Canada and Australia.
“If they (the athletes) are unhappy with their rooms because they have not been swept, they must take off their jackets and sweep them themselves. We will not complain. South Africans do not do that. “And when I get there on Friday, if a toilet is not clean, I will clean it myself.
“We will be prepared when we get there, we will work side by side with our friends, and we will come back with medals.
The Olympic Committee Chief of Australia John Coats, on the other hand, said in a widely publicized APP interview that India should have never been allotted the Games in the first place.
My Take:
There is a fight between some so called Developed Countries including Australia to castigate India for its ‘shoddy’ CWG preparations. The real issue here, and those get benefit out of these allegations are these developed countries. They know if you complain your team can land up in five-star hotels instead of the Games Village.
For Example, England contingent even today is in a five-star hotel. Who foots the bill?. Their Olympic Committee?
Not at all, We Indians.
Do you know what is the daily tariff for a double bed? It is between Rs. 14,000 to 18000 (USD 300 to 360).
The teams have been flown free of cost, and now five-star luxury. Is it sports? If you are not comfortable for whatever reasons you should pull out on protest.
But what these people are doing is, making benefit out of this. Why these teams have to come 10 days in advance come two days before if it is so.
They historically plundered our wealth and the trend continues.
We are in particular sore with Australia. There are around 200 Australians working in Delhi for the ‘success’ of the CWG with their knowledge of conducting it last time. They are paid professionals with the Organizing Committee. They have been given car, free accommodation plus heft purse.
What is the result? What is your expertise then, and for what those foreign experts having been staying in India in the last two years?
The problem is, no one wants to ask uncomfortable questions, if it is related to ‘developed Countries” ?
If these developed countries have any problem in CWG, what they should do is, to return the airfare costs to India as a mark of protest.
Or at least, the they should return USD 125,000 paid by the India for preparing for their teams.
Instead what we see is, a made rush to get into the five-star hotels.
Developed countries’ developed minds, one might say.
Kindly remember 1100 athletes have already checked in, and enjoying the atmosphere there.