No classism in sport, please

India’s chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand’s recent remarks about the economics of sporting careers are dispiriting and unbecoming of a towering sportsman. The former India and All England champion said only those whose families are financially well off in India should pursue sports. Not surprisingly, his comments went viral on social media, sparking much controversy.

Later, in another interview, without retracting his earlier remarks, he elaborated why in his experience, succeeding in sports in India is difficult without substantial financial backing. He also added that the number of people pursuing sports has increased, yet the opportunities to succeed at elite levels remain limited and that jobs for sportspersons are hard to come by.

Gopichand’s views imply that sports in India should become the prerogative of the rich; if one stretches that a bit, it suggests sports must become elitist. The very idea smacks of discrimination against the economically weak and the less fortunate. Sports, since time immemorial, has been the privilege of every citizen; it should continue to be so. Sports is not only about winning; it is as much about participation and the pursuit of excellence, building up character, and the celebration of the human spirit. In sports, success and failure are interwoven, where the journey is as important as the destination.

Sports is not about money; it should not be seen solely as a source of income. There’s more to gain from sports in life than just financial rewards. Regardless of being rich or poor, who is to stop a person who has the talent and the passion for sports? Historically too, those from poor and middle-class backgrounds have excelled in sports in India, outclassing those from rich backgrounds. One can cite any number of examples of sportspersons – from pre-independence days to the present – who by sheer grit, hard work, and determination made it to the top despite growing up in extreme poverty and hardship.

From Shamsher Khan, the first-ever swimmer to represent India in the 1956 Olympics, and Olympic boxing medalist Mary Kom to sprinters Dutee Chand, Hima Das, and India’s women’s hockey captain Salima Tete – the struggles are distressing yet heartwarming and inspiring for the way they overcame the heavy odds to pursue their passion and dream.

The father of cricketer Rinku Singh used to deliver gas cylinders; Paralympian Sumit Antil and Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra too are shining examples of sportsmen who overcame obstacles to reach the top. These and scores of sportspersons have amply demonstrated that one doesn’t have to be rich to succeed and where there is a will, there is a way.

Question of jobs

Gopichand has also highlighted that sportspersons don’t find jobs easily. This is not entirely true. Right from India’s independence, the Public Sector Units (PSUs), banks, and private entities such as the Tatas have been providing jobs and support/encouragement to sportspersons.

Cricketers such as B S Chandrashekar, G R Vishwanath, Syed Kirmani, Roger Binny, Shanta Rangaswamy or Prakash Padukone, and many others hailing from middle-class families were offered employment by banks.

It is only in recent years that sportspersons in India turned professional, thanks to sponsorships but by and large, athletes in the country have always walked the tightrope between jobs and their sporting careers. Education and sports must go hand in hand and a good educational background is always a safety net – it ensures an extended career, even after retiring from sports. Moreover, these days, there are many alternative careers for sportspersons who fail to reach the top but may still want to be involved in sports. They can become coaches, fitness trainers, consultants, content creators, entrepreneurs
and even continue to make
a presence in veterans’ sports events.

Though not directly related to the narratives around privilege and its place in sport, the issue of individuals with no sporting background functioning as top administrators in important governing bodies needs to be addressed as well. There is a case for government intervention to ensure that professionals – and not politicians or bureaucrats – are at the helm of affairs. These are steps that could help streamline administrative processes in Indian sports.

It is imperative to bring about changes to ensure that everything is fair and square in matters related to sports; we must not forget that everyone, rich or poor, should have the opportunity to pursue sports.

(The writer is a Bengaluru- based independent journalist)