By the Editor: Siddharth Sehgal

 If you have been following the news besides the political drama that plays out on our TV screens every day, you might have come across the news of wrestler Narsingh Yadav who had to fight his doping conviction in order to go for Rio Olympics. Though it turned out to be all right for the young wrestler but his case shows the ugly face of Sports administration in India, how political and personal agendas can shatter a country’s hope for a medal.

  Doping is a big problem in sports but much bigger problem is how sports are managed in India. We rarely talk of Olympics few months after they are over and before they begin. Sports are not a viable career option in India if only you are willing to give the most important time of your life to it. But even dedication is not enough to go ahead there is a lot of politics, leg pulling, horse trading and vested interests that comes into play. Take Yadav’s case for example, how come banned substance got in Yadav’s food in the first place? Court found him a victim of sabotage but what about the carelessness that led to this sabotage. In other countries athletes preparing for Olympics are kept under much controlled regimen and program, when it comes to national pride and prestige, even the poorest of the poor countries don’t mind opening their wallets a little more. We have the money but not the management. There were players like Yadav who were not so lucky, we may or may not hear about them but the facts are facts.

Sports is much more politics in India as it is sweat and brow, the other day I read a story of a boxer in Kanpur who had to pick up garbage to feed his family. Inadequate facilities, indifference, corruption and lack of funds are just few hurdles that comes to memory, even among Indian middleclass where the kid’s education is a status symbol you would find a very small percentage who would let their kids choose the field of their interest, forget the sports even taking an art’s class can give you condescending looks in neighborhood. Though things are changing now with promotion and club events like Pro kabaddi, badminton, India Super league etc. but until we have ultimate objective in sight which is recognition on major international platforms like Olympics, everything else will be secondary. Our athletes play not to get a job with ONGC, railways, police or other government entities but to win, for themselves, for the country.

 To be athletic for a lot of people mean spending an hour or two at gym, treadmill or a yoga class. It means waking up at four, eating tasteless food, having fixed hours of sleep and a grueling session in the ring, track or field, where you are constantly pushed to your limits. Where you know how far you can go and a little bit more. It’s not your evening tennis or your kid’s football or cricket match. It is giving everything in, for real. Let’s not extinguish this torch by our indifference.