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Sports should be administered by sportspersons: Omar
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 5/25/2013 11:18:28 PM
`Talks on with Centre for Chamel’s martyr status’
JAMMU, May 25: The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday advocated for a clear demarcation between the job profiles of sportspersons and the politicians saying, “Sports should be administered by sports people, let’s leave politics to the politicians.”
Omar was responding to media queries pertaining to the involvement of high profile players and celebrities in the match fixing scandal on the sidelines of a public function at R S Pura.
Yet his free-wheeling advice unwittingly was in conflict with the role of his father and the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) president.
Omar admitted that the sort of scams being unearthed every day had dented the enthusiasm of the fans regarding Indian Premier League (IPL).
He said, “I believe if the IPL is to survive it will have to be cleaned out. I’m not talking as a politician. I am talking as a general lover of sport, as a lover of cricket. I am not very enthused about watching the final in the evening. If this is my state, there are other people like me. I am unlikely to switch on the TV and watch the match this evening because of the steady stream of scandals that have unfolded in the recent days.”
Advocating the need for some tough decisions, Omar said, “I believe if the BCCI is committed to cricket then no matter which head has to roll it has to roll, cricket has to be cleaned out and a clean product has to be given to the cricket fans in this country.”
Next moment he took a dig at the politicians in general and some of the leaders of the opposition in particular saying, “I believe the same politicians cannot apply double standards when it comes to politics and when it comes to cricket.”
He said, “The same politicians demand ministers’ head on the basis of allegation. Nothing was proven against Ashwani Kumar, nothing was proven against the Railway Minister but they were asked to resign only on the basis of suspicion. If that is the case then why these politicians in the opposition, who are `great protectors of morality’, are quiet when it comes to the cricket body. I believe the same standards should be applied by them through the institution of BCCI. If there is suspicion until that suspicion is cleared whosoever is there should step back. Let an independent inquiry take place and if they are exonerated then they should come back.”
Here again, his views unsuspectingly were in contravention with the developments vis-à-vis JKCA scam which last year had created flutter in state politics.
On the question of candidature of Dr Farooq Abdullah for the post of BCCI, Omar said, “I have been counseling my father and I am not in favour of that. Dr Abdullah has enough responsibility and is beyond taking more. I personally believe and I am of the opinion that the sport bodies should be administered by sports people. That is the greatest favour we can do to our sports people.”
In yet another query about the demand for compensation and martyr status for Chamel Singh, an Indian prisoner hailing from Jammu, who died in Pakistan in January this after he was brutally beaten up in Kot Lakhpat jail of Lahore, Omar said, “The talks are on with the Centre on this issue.”