Commonwealth Games 2010– A Great “Indian Wedding” Commonwealth Games 2010 are scheduled for opening on October 3, 2010.The Games return to India after “Asian Games 1982”. We have come a long way since 1982 in terms of our standing in the global political, economical as well as sporting arena. We have achieved considerable progress in the field of sports with our boys & girls doing great jobs internationally in spite of the bureaucratic hurdles. They are getting into winning habits not just in cricket but tennis, boxing, badminton, rifle shooting, swimming etc. They deserve all the encouragement we can provide. Commonwealth Games 2010 is excellent opportunity for boosting technical competence and morale of our sportspersons by raising the bar in every faculty of the games. Invariably Indian sports persons complain of inadequate facilities for training, poor accommodation & transport, and an attitude of high handedness among the sports officials. The treatment given to P.T.Usha at Bhopal speaks about what importance we give to icons of sports other than cricket. Our success at Beijing Olympics has more to do with private sponsorships of players by business houses like L.N.Mittal Group and others than to our sports management systems. This is the time to reorganize the way our sports administrations function. We have to take a leaf from countries like Korea who have come up very fast and even hosted Olympics. We are at least 20 years behind in our organizing capabilities as well as the medal tallies to qualify for making a bid for Olympics. CG 2010 should therefore be taken as a platform to showcase our capability to host an event that may be smaller on scale but can reflect our seriousness to knock at the doors of Olympics Association. Today the world looks at India with more positive expectations but coupled with cynicism due to our sloppy working systems. We knew very well that high level team from Commonwealth Games Federation would be visiting for a preview of preparations. Our politicians may have been preoccupied with elections to Lok Sabha and also state assemblies for last 6 months but that can not be excuse for lagging behind agreed schedules.
Dr.M.S.Gill, Union Minister for Sports, has distinguished him self by successfully organizing elections as Chief Election Commissioner and has sound reputation. However, his defence of lagging behind in schedules for construction of facilities for CG2010 does not reflect professional approach when he says that in Indian weddings there would be work going on till the last minute. For every project there have to be schedules and they have to be monitored closely to ensure completion in time if not ahead. Do we need a team of overseas experts to tell us how to keep schedules? 13 out of 19 venues are lagging behind schedules. CGF therefore is justified in asking for a monitoring committee since it is their event and not India’s. If we do not come up to their expectations, they would tarnish their image. India has only an opportunity to play good host & win medals. And as if this is not enough, Mr.Suresh Kalmadi has called for removal of Mike Hooper, CEO of Commonwealth Games based in New Delhi, as he is “No Use”. Our politicians are more used to finding scapegoats when things go wrong. Why some heads have not rolled in Indian establishment for the delays till now which inevitably lead to cost over runs also? Mr.Kalmadi should have been more diplomatic to get the CEO ousted, if he could, instead of public outburst. This does not do any good to Indian image or capabilities, or sportsmanship. If Commonwealth Youth Games 2008 at Pune is any indicator, in all probability, the tracks may still be under preparations at CG 2010 when international athletes arrive in time for warming up schedules. Or the hotel accommodations may still be getting finishing touches when guests check in. The roads may still be under construction and drainage systems still inoperative. After all it is great Indian wedding. But why forget that “Engagement Ceremony” precedes Indian wedding generally. If we can be ready for engagement in every the sense of the word, we will be ahead of the expectations of the CGF International Committee. What lessons have our officials taken from visits to Beijing Olympics in terms of organizing, gearing up and motivating our teams? Can we put that to good use to present a good show? Is there any reason why our athletes can not have adequate practice on home ground which is the track or field to be
used for final event? But this means readiness well ahead of time. If we aim at “Engagement Day” instead of “Wedding Day” we can still do it. For heaven’s sake, let some body not say that in Indian weddings the bride or bridegroom does not get the practice of the process of wedding from the priest in advance! Or let us not say “Chat Mangani, Pat Shaadi”. Mr. Kalmadi may like to set an example about how capable we are by showing satisfactory progress ahead of schedules in spite of Mike Hooper! Not in the spirit of oneupmanship but in the spirit of sportsmanship & professionalism. And his time starts now. Vijay M. Deshpande Corporate Advisor, Strategic Management Initiative Pune October 16, 2009 Scroll down for my other blogs or visit www.strami.com