All sports bodies are in `doldrums`, says Digvijay

New Delhi: Claiming that all sports bodies including IOA are in "doldrums" and "controlled by businessmen and politicians", Congress leader Digvijay Singh today made a strong pitch for only sportspersons having represented their states being their members.

Taking a dig at the recent win of Sneh Prakash Bansal who defeated former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi in the election for the presidency of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), Singh questioned if "Bansal had ever played cricket". "I strongly feel that only Sportsmen or women who have represented their State should be eligible to become members of Sports Bodies," the general secretary tweeted. "Has Mr Bansal ever played Cricket? Our Hockey, IOA and other Sports Bodies are in doldrums. All controlled by Businessmen and Politicians," Singh said in another tweet. Bansal and his panel swept the DDCA polls with a landslide victory over Bedi`s faction by bagging more than 70 per cent of the votes. Singh said that he had maintained this view ever since the new sports policy was brought by Rajiv Gandhi. "I have held this view since 1980s when the new Sports Policy was brought by Rajiv ji. In DDCA elections Bedi and Kirti are out and Bansal in," Singh said in yet another tweet. Asking for views from people, Singh said that he had kept out of sports bodies despite being a sportsperson himself and representing at the national level. "Would be happy to know your views. I have scrupulously avoided getting in these sports bodies in spite of the fact I have been a sportsman," he said. "Have represented my University in hockey, cricket, squash and tennis and played Squash at the National Level," Singh said.