The antics of the minister of state for youth affairs and sports gave the nation a bad name at the Rio Olympics, whose organisers had to threaten to strip his accreditation if he continued to violate norms to take selfies with athletes. A career politician, Vijay Goel may be clueless about VIP etiquette at major international events where athletes are the real stars, but his repeated gaffes, such as the “slip of the tongue” about “gold medals” for Sindhu and Sakshi, suggest that he has no clue about the subject he handles. Curiously, he also offered support to the Sacha Sauda movement for the “informal sports” it apparently nurtures.
The Rio Olympics brought into the open all that is wrong with official India and its sports planning. Its handling of the Narsingh Yadav episode, where an athlete who failed a dope test was sent to the Games in a sentimental move, is yet another reason why the government has no business being in sport. It must be the country’s misfortune that the most qualified person in the government — Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic silver medal in an individual event — should be a junior minister handling information and broadcasting, instead of helping India plan its hunt for Olympic glory as minister for sport. If we want to do well in Tokyo four years from now, it is imperative that a qualified person is put in charge of the sports ministry right away.
