While heading '04 panel for Khel Ratna.
Petty politics has plunged sports to such a level that even the legendary Geet Sethi was forced to switch off his phone within 15 minutes of being inducted in the awards panel.
“When the ministry got in touch with me to lead the sports awards committee, within 15 minutes, I received a call recommending for an athlete,” recalled Sethi referring to a 2004 incident.
The Khel Ratna controversy involving Krishna Poonia has left him utterly disappointed and he wants the sanctity of the awards preserved.
The Ahmedabad-based ace cueist headed the panel in 2004. “I switched off my phone after that call. My mobile phone remained in that mode till I entered the meeting. Which means it was off for more than a week. I was incommunicable for athletes. I had to get a new number for my family,” said Sethi, who did not rule out that a few of his colleagues in the committee must have got calls from other athletes.
The panel, chaired by Sethi, had named Olympics silver medallist shooter RS Rathore for the Khel Ratna. In fact, Sethi himself is the recipient of the prestigious award instituted in 1991-92. He followed the first recipient Viswanathan Anand in 1992-93.
According to Sethi, the issue is a reflection of the society, which usually takes things for granted. The unwarranted speculation erupted after former world billiards champion Michael Ferreira-led panel recommended double-trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi for the prestigious award, leaving discus thrower Krishna Poonia dejected. She sought sports minister Jitendra Singh’s intervention. However, Singh cleared the national sports awards file without making any changes in the list on Thursday.
“I am glad Jitendra Singh acknowledged the panel’s judgement. It would have had set a precedent and every year, some other sportsman would have pushed his or her case. Moreover, fair and democratic process is followed to name. As an athlete, I can understand how an athlete feels disappointed but that does not mean that you come forward and start canvassing for your cause. This is disheartening,” said Sethi.
To avoid controversies in future, he even suggested a couple of measures.
“First, the names of all those who call up any panellist or get into lobbying before the meeting should not be considered for the awards that particular year. Secondly, those who try to influence change in the list once announced, should not be considered for any awards ever,” asserted the ace cueist.
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