Olympics and India: Not the athletes but culture needs a lift

Vineet Sharma

Beijing Games 2008 concluded with an unprecedented three medal haul for India. A truly refreshing change, we won almost one-thirds of the medals captured by Michael Phelps… alone. The stark reality that even three medals are seen as a ray of hope for a country with a billion people, many of them amazingly talented athletes, does stimulate our inner consciousness to ponder; once the confetti from the celebrations settles down.The first thing that one must understand is that blaming the administration, training infrastructure, corruption, global warming, the lunar calendar and so on and so forth will not get us anywhere. That is the first hurdle that out nation faces… we are great orators but not really bent on action. It is true that Indians have given record time-breaking speeches at the UN as well as during elections. We are en-route to becoming the most populous nation on the planet. But when it comes to sporting excellence, well, that’s a different ball game altogether.The Great Cultural Divide One thing that we must realise is that as a culture, we are a congregation of some of the richest scholars, doctors, engineers and philosophers, whereas the immense physical potential of our man force has been untapped over the centuries. We put sports on the backburner and lay emphasis on churning out fact-filled individuals, right from the nascent stages of our lives.

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The government and its sporting infrastructure are just the tip of the iceberg. Of course, the policies regarding sports administration and grass root training need a major revamp, but the issue doesn’t end there. We need to change the entire way we look at sports and its infusion in our daily life if we really feel the need to make our presence felt in international sporting events. Our athletes (few that there are) might slog like there’s no tomorrow when it comes to preparing for an event… and wash it all off with a ‘diet’ of ghee soaked paranthas and other fat and sugar drenched delicacies. An international wrestler or a weightlifter would simply faint if he/she was given a slight glimpse of the ‘healthy’ meals that our athletes relish. However, exceptions exist in the form of Michael Phelps and the likes. It is not that India does not have any facilities to aid sports; almost every school in an Indian town boasts of playgrounds and access to many sporting gears. The irony is that those very schools make sure that a child spends a majority of the time inside the classroom even if he/she is exceptionally gifted on the sports front. The bias starts from our homes, where getting a good grade is a priority and other activities are seen as flavouring in the main dish of imparting bookish knowledge. The hegemony of the family and the peers on a child’s intellectual and physical growth is what bogs down the future Michael Jhonsons, Nadia Comanecis and Usain Bolts of India. We need to nurture the children according to their interests and talents rather than making them run in a rat race for they might win it…but still be rats. Once the athlete is given the right respect, care and motivation from the family and close circle of people he/she interacts with, the government and sports authorities should come into play. It must be ensured that all the red-tape and politics is rooted-out and only merit should be held supreme.Sporting Lifestyle: Anyone? It should be accepted that not every athlete will come back with Olympic Gold medals and other world titles. We need to simply start the all-beneficial practice of participating in sports for a better and fitter lifestyle. Playing games must form a part of our daily routine rather than an obscure hobby. The need to wean away from heavy fat soaked meals must be done away with and restricted to only a few occasions in a year. We are what we eat, and ironically India cuts a sorry figure if the nutrition value of an average sportsperson is calculated. No emphasis on the right protein-carbohydrate balance, too much of fat in the meals, less of minerals and vitamins, the list is endless. A comprehensive diet chart must be maintained on an individual basis and that should be followed as religiously as gossip in our society. Youngsters should be seen sprinting and working on their flexibility instead of taking a leisurely stroll in the park in the name of their fitness regime. There are a plethora of gyms in the country where one can see a devout fitness enthusiast pumping away to a life of injuries… thanks to his un-qualified trainer, the mindset of taking shortcuts and consuming numerous ‘supplement’ and ‘injections’ to get the desired results overnight. Better awareness is a must. What’s heartening is the fact that India’s rural might in sports remains unchallenged and individuals time and again give us glimpses of true champions. The sports authorities have to tap that potential and the next event will definitely see us faring better than before. “Culture is not static but is as vacillating as time itself”. The line holds true for the sports scenario in our country as well and all that needs to be done is taking a step in the right direction. India is a country that gave the world the concept of ‘Karma’… it’s about time we started practicing it. For full coverage on BEIJING OLYMPICS, Click Here »