IOA bats for players other than cricket, urges everyone to stop discrimination

NI Wire

New Delhi

Fri, 28 Sep 2007: 

SEP 28: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) came out openly for the support of players other than cricket, urging the government to put an end to this step moerly behaviour and discrimination, with regard to hockey and other sports being played in the country.

The nation’s premier sports body in a strong statement on Thursday said, “We fully support the statements made by prominent hockey players regarding the lack of support and step motherly treatment accorded to them.''

The players of the hockey and football teams have performed in an exceptional way in recent times. In addition, the Indian rifle shooters and archers have cornered glory by becoming individual world champions.''

The six members of the national team, who hails from Karnataka, in an unprecedented move after the Twenty20 World Cup winning cricketers were showered with bonanzas by the state government, threatened to go on hunger strike, as their Asia Cup achievements was overlooked by the State and the sportspersons of the state are being discriminated with individual disciplines.

''We feel the success of all sports persons who excel at the international level should be adequately appreciated, and all sports persons who toil for the esteem of the country should be equally recognised and rewarded,'' IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and secretary general Randhir Singh said.

The national sport of the country deserves to be encouraged and supported to regain its golden past.

“Presently entire country is celebrating the achievements of the Indian cricket team that won the 20-20 World Cup, there is a strong feeling that the splendid achievements of Olympic sports persons who bring glory to the nation are not given due recognition.''

“We appeal to all sports lovers, corporate houses and state governments to be generous and equally acknowledge and reward the achievements of all Indian sports persons,” the release added.