Lots of media coverage has been devoted to Commonwealth games being hosted in Delhi 2010 this year, mostly negative publicity. After reading so much, I could not take it anymore and decided to write a couple words about it. First of all, India has come under intense criticism from participating countries about inadequate sanitation in residence quarters provided to top global athletes. Everyone has just stepped in to add more criticism. But I see this as insensitive and in a way racist too.
To expect same sanitation in India as some other developed countries such as New Zealand, the UK or the US is unjustified and unreasonable. Do you expect a nation to change its system in a couple of months for hosting a single game? India suffers from inadequate infrastructure (relative to most developed countries) but it can not build wider roads or sturdier bridges just like that ahead of Commonwealth games. If it did, that would be magic. To criticize its standards so vehemently is insensitive. Foreign delegates and athletes probably have never experienced poverty or lived in conditions as most Indians do. Rising income of middle class in India is a myth since they are mostly limited in urban areas. Now that they are suddenly exposed to it, instead of acknowledging that conditions people inhabit in India are surprising and pitiable, they have chosen to show anger.
Athletes and delegates from participating countries are angry at organizers of Commonwealth games for providing them residence facilities characteristic of a common Indian instead of providing them five star like luxurious suites. Intense paranoia involved around inadequate sanitation facilities is also expected as westerners are freaks when it comes to sanitation. If a few cases of flu are seen in a region hundreds of miles away, suddenly hand sanitizers start appearing everywhere, in schools, universities, workplaces, restaurants and even public transport. Media has exaggerated the details about lack of sanitation anyway.
Anytime a developing country organizes a big sporting event, westerns always have a problem with it. It was not long ago that South Africa organized FIFA world cup football 2010 which was complained for its excessive noise produced by vuvuzelas. Expect more vuvuzelas for next world cup football to be organized in Brazil in 2014. And maybe more problems too since it is also a developing country.
Now there is another problem with Commonweath games in Delhi- low turnout of spectators. Empty seats during games are starting to worry everyone. It is expected though. Why would Indians go watch games that has tainted image of their nation so badly? Cricket matches that are being played simulataneously are keeping them pretty well entertained. And prices for commonwealth games seats wouldn't be cheap by indian standards anyway.
The biggest problem I see is with this concept of Commonwealth games itself. A game between nations that were colonized by Great Britain. Really? You want to bring up those memories of being colonized and preserve the legacy? Why bring it up again then, through a sporting event? There are Olympics and continental games such as Asian games and European competitions. Anyway, foreign media may criticize all they want but that will only show their insensitivity, intolerance and innate racism.
I agree with you, I was really uncomfortable with all the negative press, like they were all hoping for it to fail so that we could all laugh at them and say look, they can't do it!
ReplyDeleteWhile this is different from what I've been normally reading with regards to the commonwealth games, I do not agree at all.
ReplyDeleteYou make some commitments when you are to host international events. You put money into it. The case here is clearly that of corruption.
Since when did international events become an event to showcase a nation's poverty? These events have one mission - to provide the best possible environment for the athletes so all of them can do their best. What if half of a nation's team becomes sick due to lack of proper sanitation? That is a failure.
what kind of lens is t?which brands blogs to?what kind of game can we play in it?
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