sportsmanship

Sportsmanship
A couple of years ago the Pakistan cricket team came to India to play. That was when the two countries still had a semblance of civilized behaviour and diplomatic relations.
As the cricketers shook hands with frenzied fans, one of them started bleeding heavily. The fan in a misguided psychotic attempt to let India win, had hidden a razor blade in his palm!
Our commonwealth games 2010 are in shambles. Kalamidi seems to have taken bribes or allowed benami deals by which others took mamool. The infrastructure looks in danger of collapsing. We will be lucky if a wall does not collapse on an athlete or two.
The burning desire to win at all costs descends to petty levels as well. At a recent interclub swimming gala a 58 year old woman was being told, there is no one in your category so you have to swim with the 40-50 age group. (If she swam in her original group, the hosting club would lose points as they did not have a contestant).
After she came 2nd they disqualified her saying “you swam in the wrong age group!”
Again for points!
This is the pervading attitude in India.
To be a participant in the Olympics or in the Common wealth games, you do not necessarily have to be good, just rich and well connected! Stories have been circulating about money that needs to be paid to become a representative in that particular sport at the district, state and country level.
It is doubtful whether they even train or practice properly. Look at our lamentable performance in all athletic spheres!
Finally we seem to have lost all sense of proportion and shame when it comes to siphoning off money. Look at the state of the commonwealth games. Buildings are cracking and everything is being constructed and organized at an overinflated rate.
60 years after independence, our selfishness has risen to the forefront. WE and our first at the cost of our country and national pride.