Abhinav Bindra: It is government’s call on Indo-Pak sporting ties

10/16/2016

Although a firm believer that politics and sports should not be mixed, Olympic gold medal-winning shooter Abhinav Bindra said the government’s decision should be respected when circumstances are far from ideal, and India-Pakistan sporting relations needs to take the backseat.

“It is a very difficult question. One would hope for that to happen (that sport and politics is not mixed). It is a nice thought it should be separated because that is the Olympic values as well that sport should be free from politics…But today, in reality, it doesn't happen sometimes. One has to take a call from situation to situation and the government's decision has to be respected,” Bindra told PTI news agency.

"At the end of the day, it is the decision of the government. It takes the final call on whether a team can play (against Pakistan) and that call has to be respected.”

India has increased its efforts to isolate Pakistan globally on all fronts post the Uri attack that has also affected sporting relations between the Asian neighbours. BCCI ruled out resumption of cricketing ties, and Pakistan was declined invitation for the Kabaddi World Cup in India.

Bindra had led a National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) review committee that came down heavily on the running of the sport in a damning 36-page report on the Rio Olympics flop show that was equally scathing on the shooters, coaches and the national federation.

Post Rio, the Indian government announced that it would set up a task force to create a strategy to help sportspersons prepare for the next three Olympics. The task force is expected to cover infrastructure, training and selection.

Asked if he would like to be part of such a task force, Bindra, who retired after Rio, said, ““It is a tough question for me now (where does India stand right now). Simply because I am not involved in sport anymore on a daily basis. When I was an active athlete, I would see it from a different eye. I was more into it. Since Rio, I am not an athlete anymore. So I don't know what exactly is happening on the ground.

"It will be unfair of me to comment on it and I can only hope that there is a lot of action happening. That we are progressing towards athlete development, towards not just Tokyo 2020 but we must already look at 2024 and beyond, set structures and processes in place which would create a feeder line of athletes," he added.

Speaking about the proposed Sports Bill, Bindra said Indian sport won't improve unless a legislation is passed in parliament.

"I have said this before. In India for things to change, the change will have to be mandated. Unfortunately nobody likes change, there is a lot of resistance to change. But change is necessary. I think in the structure of sport in India, if it is mandated, that is the only way forward. For that to happen, legislation in sport is important," he said.

Abhinav Bindra

Abhinav Bindra: It is government’s call on Indo-Pak sporting ties

Comments

0 Comments