Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Dismay and shock

The civilised world is dismayed on hearing the news from Jamaica — that Bob Woolmer, Pakistan cricket coach, was murdered. All of us must hang our heads in shame over the dastardly incident. Sport that was meant to be a pastime, recreational activity, and hobby has been transformed into business. It is a pity that match-fixing and bookmaking, indulged in by a few, have virtually taken over an otherwise noble field of healthy competition. The murder has tarnished the World Cup. It no longer matters who lifts the trophy.

R. Narayana Iyer,
Thiruvananthapuram

* * *

Woolmer's murder has cast a pall of gloom on the World Cup. It will instil fear in the minds of players and destroy the game. Indian cricket is also becoming one of high stakes. The BCCI should take proactive steps before unpleasant incidents occur.

Krishna Kumar,
Ahmedabad

* * *

The shocking revelation will send a shiver down the spine of players. Given that any defeat suffered by a strong team is viewed with suspicion, it is imperative that the investigators get to the root of the matter and expose all those responsible for the murder.

S. Ramakrishnasayee,
Ranipet

* * *

A sport that was meant to be relaxing for players and spectators has turned into a source of major income. For at least some players, a place in the national team means income from advertisements. At times, a true admirer of the game is left wondering whether a pre-scripted drama is being played out on the pitch. Also, when fans become volatile and extremely passionate about the game, how can cricketers play their natural game? Fans are no longer sportive and turn into vandalising mobs when their team is defeated. If cricket cannot serve its purpose, is there any need to continue playing it?

S. Ramesh Krishnan,
Pala, Kerala

* * *

Woolmer's murder is only the tip of the iceberg. Cricket has ceased to be a game of talent and luck. It is now in the hands of the underworld. It is frightening to think about the next possible manifestation of the game. Cricket is gradually becoming a social hazard. The real challenge now is to protect cricket-crazy youngsters from the hype and mania.

Nisha Gopalan,
Chennai

* * *

Colombian defender Andre Escobar was shot dead after he scored an own goal in the 1994 soccer World Cup. That a similar incident has taken place with respect to cricket too — played by very few countries — is unfortunate.

D. Narasa Raju,
Visakhapatnam

* * *

The revelation that Woolmer was murdered shows how low the gentleman's game has fallen, and what a market-driven economy can do through the media to manipulate the common man.

B. Uthamanarayanan,
Coimbatore

* * *

Woolmer's death is a matter of shame to all cricket lovers. In cricket, one team has to lose. Making the coach responsible for the loss and taking his life are unimaginable.

O.B. Nair,
Poonithura

* * *

It is quite likely that Woolmer was a victim of cricket's seamier side. His death should serve as a wake-up call to those who run cricket, and those who profess a passion for it. If a game starts taking lives, there is something sickeningly wrong with it. We didn't need someone to die to awaken us to the problem. Commodification has been chipping away at the soul of cricket for years, and now the game is in danger of losing its head.

Cricket needs a reality check. It has an unhealthy, and unsustainable, business model that relies primarily on an increasingly delusional and one-dimensional fan base. The bubble has to burst for a semblance of sanity to be restored. We must learn to once again enjoy cricket as a game.

Karthik Raghavan,
Ballwin, Missouri

* * *

Cricket, hitherto a gentleman's game, has been marred by match-fixing scandals and the involvement of the underworld that bets huge amounts on match outcomes. The Jamaican police should probe Woolmer's murder from all angles and bring to book the culprits so that such incidents do not recur.

R. Sekar,
Nalco Nagar

* * *

Those players who throw matches to make money make the underworld more powerful. How many of the underworld groups fund the various terrorist outfits is anyone's guess. Any player found guilty should not be charged for merely match-fixing but for treason.

Harpreet Gill,
Panchkula

* * *

While, on the one hand, we perform yagnas and sensationalise even our participation in the World Cup, there is no stopping us when our team plays badly. The defeat becomes an issue of national pride. The manner in which fans resorted to burning effigies of players and vandalising their homes after India's loss to Bangladesh smacks of frenzy. It is time we considered cricket like any other sport.

Vani Venkat,
Lucknow

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