Click to play videoOlympic Games — the world's biggest sporting spectacle — kicked off in Beijing on Friday with once-reclusive China celebrating its role as an Olympic host for the first time with a stunning display of pageantry and pyrotechnics. China put its rich history on full display in a breathtaking opening ceremony. With a spectacular opening of the event, China proved its worth to the world despite the challenges, such as controlling population, that it faces.
Tackling a similar problem, can India too host a sporting event as grand as the Olympics?
CNN-IBN asked that question on its show Face the Nation. On the panel, to debate the question were ex-goal keeper, Indian Hockey team, A B Subbiah; Former Billiards Champion, Padmabhushan Awardee, Michael Ferrera; and Joint MD, Percept Limited, Shailendra Singh.
Realistic target?
The event kick started at the Bird's Nest stadium with spectacular fireworks. It took the Chinese four years to build that stadium. The entire infrastructure of Beijing has been turned around in that four-year time span. What is the realistic estimate India even has to dream of organising something as grand as that?
Not sounding very hopeful, Shailendra Singh said that it's impossible for India to even dream of hosting Olympics before 2020. “I am not saying that Indians cannot make the impossible possible, but I think it is a psychological issue. When the entire country is hung up on winning medals, hosting the Games, in my opinion, is a far-fetched thought,” he said.
“The thought process should have started at the grassroots nearly about 15 years ago. The medal tally reveals that at heart, our nation is not a sporting nation. There are larger agendas to be tackled by the government. The sports business plan needs to come into play,” he added.
Is cricket the focus?
We can organise cricket World Cups, but do we take other sports seriously? If we do not take other sports seriously, then how can we even dream of hosting and organising such an event? At the end of the day, do we still remain a simple, one-sport nation, where the entire focus is always on cricket?
Subbiah replied that organising a game isn't difficult for a nation, provided it's interested in that game.
“India,” he said, “has always been a good host in whatever events it has conducted. Take cricket World Cup or even the 1982 Asian Games for example. Everyone says it was one of the best Asian Games ever. But when we are not prepared to win any medal in such a big tournament, we should not host it.”
No winning teams?
Indian cricket teams didn't win at many major international games till the 90s. Maybe, our other sports teams are following the same trend?
Describing it as a mindset issue, Shailendra said, “If you want to make India a sporting nation, then infrastructure should be planned out. Predominantly, if you want to host the Olympics, what comes into play is the infrastructure, whether it is to do with hospitality or the athletic requirements for any sport.”
He cited an example to explain his point. He said, “For example, we give a lot of emphasis for skyscrapers in malls. Why does the Government not insist that 30 or 40 per cent of the allocation of that land should be a sporting arena? I think, as a nation we are not accustomed to wanting to be a sporting nation, therefore hosting the world's largest sporting event may not be easy.”
Comparison with Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games are staring at us in our faces, which are two-years down the line. But are the arrangements made by Delhi satisfactory? The transport system is changing. It has a huge metro network and is going to get a revamped international airport soon. Is the pace of change for the Capital good enough for us to start thinking in terms of a possible organisation of Olympics at a later stage?
“I think the Indians have the heart to do the impossible. I think we can make it happen. We have the technology and the know-how. The Indian economy seems to be on a path that is going to shock the world. We have all the right ingredients. But I must say there is no bigger high than actually achieving a high in sports and carrying the national flag. If that, at the core, can be addressed then I think we can make the impossible happen,” Shailendra said.
He asserted, “Once we make up our minds, we can make it happen.”
However, he said the question was if India wants to win at sports. “Does India want to respect all other sports other than just cricket? That is a larger question that the whole nation needs to address,” he said.
Clash between the heart and the mind?
What does it really take to organise such an event? Is it the desire to win as China is showing, because China is not just a host, it is also a strong competitor in these games. Is that where India is still lacking?
Subbiah said, "We planned out for the Commonwealth Games well in advance. But the stadiums are still only half completed. Our teams may train on the ground, just a month before the games begin. It is however, not like that in other places. At least five or six months in advance, most facilities are available for players in other countries.”
Citing China's example, he added, “When China players started training from 1998, ever since the Chinese got Olympics allotted to them, they hired all top coaches from other countries and put in all discipline to train sportspersons. It would not be surprising if they get more medals than anyone else in this Olympics. We should also plan like that.”
Where is the problem?
At the end of the day, we continue to be a one-sport nation. Isn't there a larger social context to that also? The fortune of Indian cricket changed once the second-tier cities started to get involved in cricket.
Is this the problem that in sports like discus throw or javelin throw, we have not managed to take these sports to far-flung corners of the country?
Shailendra explained, “With a minimum family budget, a typical middle class family cannot imagine their child growing to be just a sportsman. If the government and all of us come together and propose a business plan and sponsor kids at their young age, then maybe in 15 to 20 years' time we would medal-winning athletes. If you look at cricket, Lalit Modi and the BCCI have managed to get their acts together. They put in some money there and it's only that a middle class couple can imagine that their child becoming a national cricketer and earning money.”
Getting policies right
Is there a co-relation between aspiring to host the Olympics and wanting to win medals?
Michael said, “I think the co-relation is obvious.”
He explained, “China has spent $ 40 billion on this event. We can also find the money. We have no issues. We have the technical expertise also. But what worries me is the notorious Indian inefficiency and I am sorry if it hurt some people. Then there is terrible corruption that permeates the entire fabric of our society. The third is unseemly ramblings and political dog fights between two groups, like the one, which we saw recently between the Sports Ministry on one hand and the IOC on the other.”
“We are not pulling in the same direction,” he said.
Is India ready to organise the Olympics, and if so, what is the timeline that one can look at?
“India is ready in technological and financial requirement. But, I do not think that we could possibly host this in a proper manner in the right culture and right mindset before 2024,” Michael said.
However, Subbiah said, " If conditions remain the same, I do not think we can ever host an Olympics.”
He agreed with the problems that Michael Ferrera mentioned. He added, “The factors which Michael mentioned are truly obstacles on the way to success.”
Results of the SMS/web poll:
Yes: 45 per cent
No: 55 per cent
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