limiting tenure of the heads of sports bodies in India

M S Gill vs Suresh Kalmadi


The Sports Minister Mr M S Gill has done good to the sports by bringing in an order restricting the tenure of the heads governing the Sports bodies of the country. The present heads of sport bodies such as the Indian Olympic association headed by Suresh Kalmadi, The Lawn Tennis Association headed by Khanna, have been holding these positions for so many years and do not want to quit the post for reasons which may benefit them in more than one way!  Some persons like V K Mallhotra, Ghelot etc.. are also holding these coveted posts since long. Many such heads of sporting bodies have never played the sport governed by them!   If these senior, old men cling to these posts without being involved in the sports either by playing or even attempting  to play are hindrances for the sport to grow since long association gives rise to clouts and eventually result in politics!  The government should ask all these heads to quit honourably and pave way for the younger generation to come into the field and administration so that new ideas could be evolved and implemented?  The Indian Hockey Federation did well by throwing out K P S Gill as its head a couple of years back as he was known to favour certain players who did not excel in the sport they were representing! The dirty politics of these old men who do not want to let go their hold on the sports body because of their political clouts are only harming the game and the sports in general dampening the enthusiasm of the real Sportsmen and women.  The government will do well by extending their support to M S Gill in cleaning up the sports body throughout.