BCCI lambasted for Asian Games decision
Three-time World Amateur Billiards champion Michael Ferreira takes the BCCI to task in the Mid-Day for its decision not to send a team to the Asian Games.
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
Three-time World Amateur Billiards champion Michael Ferreira takes the BCCI to task in the Mid-Day for its decision not to send a team to the Asian Games.
The Asian Games is a huge platform, second only to the Olympic Games, for countries to showcase their sporting talent and to win national honour and glory. The sheer emotion of any champion who hears the national anthem of his country played when he wins the gold is indescribable, and strong men (the expression 'men' being gender neutral) have been reduced to tears as the gold medal is being draped around their necks.
The ebb and flow of camaraderie and fellowship in the Games village between sportsmen of different disciplines have to be experienced to be believed. But, and here's the rub, there are no commercial gains to be made by governing bodies when their boys participate in, or even win, at this magnificent event.
In his blog on the IBN Live website, Gaurav Kalra wants to know who let the BCCI steal India's chance at a medal, and thinks it’s time the board was stripped of the power to decide such things.
The BCCI had a chance to do the right thing for a change and they blew it. Oblivious and perhaps even disdainful of the public view, they arrogantly brush away all dissent. Caught in a ridiculous cross-fire of show cause notices with a former insider, India's cricket administration is now vile and derelict. They can have their squabbles and their tardy side shows but in this case they must not be allowed to succeed. We must find a way to snatch their right away to choose whether we can covet and desire our stake in glory. These games only come once every four years. They have no right to snatch away your chance for a medal. My medal. Our medal.
Tariq Engineer is a former senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo