The Hindu : Sport : Aiyar calls for greater responsibility

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Friday, Feb 15, 2008
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Aiyar calls for greater responsibility

Principal Correspondent

Duty of national federations to procure necessary equipment
2010 Commonwealth Games budget rise unnecessary

NEW DELHI: Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Thursday described the controversy regarding shuttlecock and ammunition shortage as a ‘blame game’ between the National sports federations and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

“I don’t know why these issues are cropping up at the last moment. There was enough time to sort these out, but the federations preferred to lie low before transferring the blame on SAI and the Sports Ministry,” Aiyar said at an impromptu press meet at the Indian Women’s Press Corps here.

When reminded that this was an Olympic year and athletes would suffer if such controversies kept happening, Aiyar was categorical in saying “athletes will necessarily suffer because of their respective federations’ attitude.” Aiyar said: “Now, it is the responsibility of national federations to procure what they want since we realised that the SAI lacked technical expertise as regards equipment for several sports disciplines. There is no point in blaming the Sports Ministry for shuttlecock shortages, when there were other avenues to procure and run the national camp. The federations should pro-actively involve themselves in the entire process than just sit and expect things would be done.”

More accountability

Aiyar said all stakeholders would have to wake up to their responsibilities with just six months left for the Beijing Olympics. He said there was no deliberate attempt to hamper the prospects of Indian sportsmen, but he would like to see more transparency, accountability and efficiency from not only the federations but also from SAI and the Sports Ministry officials. As regards the preparations for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, Aiyar remained a staunch critic of the burgeoning budget for the New Delhi Games.

“Every time Suresh Kalmadi (President of the Indian Olympic Association and Chairman, Organising Committee of 2010 Commonwealth Games) opens his mouth, he adds a zero to the budget as if 1,000 crore is a pittance,” said Aiyar.

“I am a public servant and I have to see everyone is benefited from our schemes,” he said and questioned the appointment of the scores of officials in the Commonwealth Games secretariat without either qualifications or need.

On the draft National Sports Policy, the Sports Minister remarked sarcastically that the “immortal meeting” with Kalmadi was scheduled on Feb. 29.

“Kalmadi has conveniently found that this is a leap year so he had an extra day to spare to have a meeting on the sports policy. It is another matter that it happens to be the day when the general budget will be presented with which you and I have nothing to do with,” Aiyar quipped.

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