Click to play videoNew Delhi: Security drills are underway to ensure that the Olympic torch relay in New Delhi goes off smoothly. However, with less than 48 hours to go before the Olympic torch arrives, the police authority is making sure that the Tibetan protestors are kept at bay.
Sports Minister MS Gill feels that only sportspersons should run with the Olympic torch, however, the Indian Olympic association feels otherwise.
“IOC has given guidelines that the torch can be carried not only by the sports persons but even by people from all walks of life, who have excelled in their field of work,” says Kalmadi.
Sources have told CNN-IBN that the IOA has more or less finalised the torchbearers. Among the prominent ones are Mahesh Bhupathi, shooter Abhinav Bindra, Milkha Singh, Randhawa, Anju Bobby Geroge, P Gopichand, Dhanraj Pillay and Karnam Maleswari. Actors Saif Ali Khan and Aamir khan, tennis player Leander Paes and shooter Manavjit Sandhu are nominees of the sponsors.
“When you hold the torch, you feel the cynosure of all the Olympic ideals,” says Manavjit.
The torch relay was disrupted in London and Paris and as the shadow of the Tibetan protests looms large, Baichung Bhutia and Kiran Bedi have pulled out.
“Let us not confuse the issue about Olympic movement and Chinese movement. For me Olympics speaks of peace, harmony and unity amongst different cultures and different countries,” says Leander Paes.
Nonetheless, the torch relay will take place from Vijay Chowk to India gate in the Capital, a distance of roughly 3 kilometers.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
