Abhinav Bindra: Government should not be involved in business of sports, it`s not their job

New Delhi: Ace Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra on Sunday criticised the way sports organisations have been running in the country and advised that government should not be involved in the business of sports.

India's only individual Olympic gold medalist, Bindra feels that to catch up with the world, professionals should take over the sports administration.

"There is more government funding for sports now, but in all reality, I think, the government should really not be involved in the business of sports... it's not their job," Bindra was quoted as saying by IANS.

Bindra not just raised the question but also gave the solution.

"The government is trying to do it, but they can't do it. When the world has got to such a competitive level, you need professionals handling everything, people who know how to run sports, people who have knowledge about sports performance, taking decisions,” he reasoned.

Bindra raised another issue by pointing out that government funding arrives too late.

"The government is doing but they have their limitations. They have their own way of functioning, which takes time and elite athletes do not have the luxury of time," he said.

However, the 33-year-old made it clear that he was not opposed to politicians heading the sports federations. But he insisted that hiring professionals to run the administration was essential.

"You need to have paid CEOs to look after the day to day affairs, professionals to take care of the technical aspects of the sports, only then things would start to get better," added Bindra.

(With Agency inputs)