Younger people should come into sports administration: Maken
Sports Federations should not be headed by politicians but by those having sports background, the new Sports Minister Ajay Maken said today, vowing to work in this direction on a priority basis.
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New Delhi: Sports Federations should not be headed by politicians but by those having sports background, the new Sports Minister Ajay Maken said today, vowing to work in this direction on a priority basis.
He said he will try to "firmly convince" the sports
bodies to ensure that younger people take control of the
federations for the upliftment of sports in the country.
"We need to ensure that sportpersons get more
responsibility in sports bodies. I will see to it that it
happens", Maken told PTI hours after he was given independent
charge of the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry.
Maken, who will take over tomorrow, said that he was of
the view that politicians should not head the sports bodies
unless they are young and have the background in that
particular discipline.
"If age is on their side and they have played the game,
then only politicians should head the federations of any
sports", said the young Minister, adding that he would carry
forward his predecessor M S Gill`s ideas in this context.
When referred to some federations where old people were
still refusing to go, he said he will try to firmly convince
them rather than fight about the need to give chance
to youngsters.
About the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the
Commonwealth Games, Maken said that he would like the
investigations to get over as soon as possible. "If anybody
is found guilty, he should be punished severely. We want to
move ahead".
Maken said he will work for promotion of sports in the
country and lay special emphasis on scouting talent in the
rural areas as his aim would be to ensure that India gets more
medals in the 2012 London Olympics.
PTI
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