#dnaEdit: Shame amid sham

The off-field activities of Indian sports officials have yet again overshadowed the performances of our sportspersons. Corruption and ineptness of sports officials have regularly hit the headlines since the 2010 Commonwealth Games at Delhi, but the alleged incidents at Glasgow represent a new low for sports. Reports of two Indian officials, one the secretary-general of the Indian Olympic Association(IOA), and the other a Level 1 international wrestling referee, being arrested for various criminal misdemeanours could not have come at a more importune time for the country. The incident also brings back memories of the 2006 Commonwealth Games where a masseur with the Indian delegation was found guilty of indecent assault and let-off with a one-month suspended jail sentence. Already under the global scanner for horrifying incidents of violence, especially against women, such sporting events, should in normal course, aid India’s attempts to showcase its “soft power”. But the IOA and its officials have time and again betrayed the inability to see the bigger picture and crucial role in promoting sports and sportspersons.

Though a chastened IOA followed the government’s reformed Sports Code providing elections and fixed tenures, the International Olympic Committee(IOC) still suspended its scandal-ridden affiliate in 2012. The Sports Code and the IOC’s tough line raised hopes of an imminent clean-up, but these were belied by later events. The suspension raised public outrage after doubts arose over India’s eligibility to participate in international events, but IOA bigwigs Suresh Kalmadi, Lalit Bhanot and Abhay Chautala were more agitated about the IOC’s attempts to keep them out of the IOA. The elections held this February saw new faces in important positions, but the old lobbies never really went away and continue to enjoy power; albeit without responsibility. Rajeev Mehta, who is now accused of drunken driving and related charges, was a small-time official involved in multiple sporting bodies, before his surprise elevation as secretary-general. Rather than any achievement as a sports administrator, it was reported that his proximity to Kalmadi and other IOC bigwigs won him the coveted post, despite allegations of irregularities. Former sprinter Ashwini Nachappa said it best when she bemoaned that the “cosy club still exists” despite the cosmetic changes at the helm.

Reforms in the IOA are imperative because the fortunes of Indian sport are closely tied to this body.  In the run-up to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the government sanctioned unprecedented grants for sports amounting to Rs678 crore. The results were there for all to see; even after making due allowance for the home advantage India bagged a record 101 medals and the second spot at the Delhi games. The spillover could be seen with India improving its performance in the 2010 Asiad, and the 2012 Olympics where it won six individual medals. However, since the Olympics for which Rs260 crore was earmarked, funding has slackened with the IOA’s troubles getting more attention rather than the sports it should be shepherding. While no one expected Indian sportspersons to better their 2010 Delhi feat at the 2014 Glasgow games, the performances of the wrestling, shooting, badminton and squash teams were impressive. Facing the Chinese who are constantly improving in most sports, the Asian Games in October at Incheon, South Korea, should help us make a concrete and comparative assessment on our strengths and weaknesses. Without credible administrators or a long-term vision, a system to fix public accountability for lost opportunities has become non-negotiable.