Rejecting suggestions that sports other than cricket recieved "step-motherly" treatment from state governments, sprint queen P T Usha today said sportspersons should first prove their mettle before demanding incentives.
KOZHIKODE: Rejecting suggestions that sports other than cricket recieved "step-motherly" treatment from state governments, sprint queen P T Usha today said sportspersons should first prove their mettle before demanding incentives.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong in BCCI declaring huge rewards to Team India for its incredible performance that has made the entire nation proud," she said endorsing the cricket board's decision to reward Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men in cash and kind for their triumph.
"This will only intensify the competition in other sports and they can also expect such accolades once they prove their might," she said.
Usha, who earned Rs two lakh in cash and a house when she won the Asian Gold in 1985, said "there were days when athletics alone used to bring laurels to the country and athletes including me were given top attention".
"Even though it was a T20 championship, one cannot ignore the fact that all leading Cricket-playing nations participated in it and a poorly-rated India emerged winners," she said, adding it was up to Indian Hockey Federation and respective state governments to decide on rewarding the hockey players for winning the Asia Cup.
"No sportsperson, Association or the Government can question the decision of the BCCI," Usha said.
"Infact, the BCCI should be complimented for raising huge funds in recent years in a systematic manner," Usha said.
"BCCI is an independent body and the funds it has managed now has not come overnight. It is upto the BCCI officials to declare any amount of reward to recognise the team's performance and no one has the right to question their decisions," she said.
"When I was winning five to six medals regularly at the international level during the 80s, cricket was not enjoying so much passion and the entire media used to highlight athletics and glorify athletes like me, Shiny and Nachiappa", Usha said.
"Even advertisements were pouring on us and leading cricketers were left with sharing ads with us. But times have since changed and cricket has come to take centre-stage ever since the Kapil Dev-led team won the 1983 World Cup."
Recalling the angry public outburst the Indian Cricket team had to face after it failed to perform in ODI World Cup, Usha said "it is upto the concerned sports bodies to recognise players for their performance".
"I was delighted when I was given the cash award and a house by the state Government on a direction from the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi," she said, adding she cannot forget the hue and cry raised by leading cricketers then.
Not willing to comment on the proposed hunger strike by some hockey players in Karnataka, Usha, however, said winning the Asia Cup was totally a different issue and it was upto the state Government to recognise their feat.
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