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| SPORTS TRIBUNE | Saturday, December 16, 2000, Chandigarh, India |
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Leander, Mahesh to play together Teeing-off Wake-up call to Indian
football A new tennis star rises |
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The permanent stain on Indian cricket A suspicion had persisted for a long time that all was not well with sports, in general, and cricket, in particular. The cricket crime and punishment is the biggest story in cricket history as far as India is concerned. This sordid saga has come to an end, by the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to debar or ban the cricket players, who in its perception, had compromised the matches for their personal benefit. It is worth it to recall the benefits, as per the CBI inquiry, which the players managed for themselves at the cost of the confidence of their fans reposed in them. Cricket lovers, who had lionised the players, feel happy at the life and periodic ban on certain players. Some cricket fans also feel sad at the pass to which the game has been reduced. Cricket’s dark underbelly’s exposure was almost hearing, seeing and uncovering facts stranger than fiction. The exposure of the game showed that journalist’s duty was beyond journalism and it led to the blossoming of investigative journalism in the country. There was suspicion of match fixing right from 1997, when some magazines mentioned some of the names involved. There was furore: enraged denials, lawsuit threats and lawsuits; and then, because the lid just kept jumping off the boiling kettle, an inquiry committee was set up, but did not find anything wrong. The Justice Chandrachud Committee left the matter there and then. In the meantime, the Justice Qayyum report detailing the involvement of half the Pakistani team in the betting racket was published. The needle was moving nearer home. Then came Hansiegate, exposing the involvement of the Indian players, the MK betting racket along with Cronje. Prabhakar, the original accuser, has also not been found board. He is as in it as any other cricketer named in the CBI report. Much remains to be done to clean Indian cricket’s Augean stables, especially in the functioning of the BCCI. The CBI says: "We hope things will improve”. There is one section which feels that their records should not be taken off the books, as in any case, their reputation is ruined and that is enough punishment. A 12-member team of the CBI questioned 207 bookies and punters, 16 cricketers and five officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. It took six months of arduous labour to bring to light the canker afflicting Indian cricket, through its 162-page report. It is a disease that everybody knew existed but no one was willing to admit. At the end of perhaps the most wide-ranging probe of its kind, the CBI has also named nine international cricketers who have in some way or the other been connected with bookies. "For us, it was a truly learning experience. Everybody knew match-fixing was on but nobody wanted to probe deep into it", says the CBI. At the end of the day, the CBI seems to have won the match for Indian cricket. All five cricketers identified in the CBI report, namely Mohammed Azharuddin, Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma, Nayan Mongia were suspended. The BCCI accepted the CBI report after its own inquiry except in the case of Mongia and have banned the cricketers from five years to life ban from both international and domestic cricket. There was no evidence against Mongia with the CBI. You normally get paid in life for doing something. Here the cricketers received huge amounts for non-performance. Many a times, a question has been raised that if the cricketers go to the court, the case against them is not likely to stand judicial scrutiny. It is relevant to point out, that the police investigation has to confine itself to the offences committed under the Indian Penal Code or other laws. The investigation of the cases is done as per the procedure laid down in the Criminal Procedure Code. The evidence required for taking a case to the court of law has to be as laid down in the Indian Evidence Act. In the cricket scam, no case was registered, as there has been no legal violation of any existing law. No law requires a private person, to give his best to any game or sports, which he may be playing. Corruption charges also cannot be sustained against the cricketers as the Prevention of Corruption Act only applies to public servants or government officials. Even that will be hard to prove, in the case of the cricketers, who are public servants, because playing cricket is not strictly part of their duty. No criminal case can be filed against any cricketer for their alleged role in match fixing, because of the nebulous legal position. Perhaps more players could have been pinned down for match fixing but for the fact that "cricketing fraternity, generally speaking, maintained a conspiracy of silence and were rarely forthcoming, with any specific information relevant to the inquiry". It is important to remember that no wrongdoing can be hidden for all times to come. Fraud mostly ends in securing for its players repentance and shame. Let players in future not depend on fortune, but their conduct.
Joginder Singh, IPS (retd), is a former Director of the CBI. |
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Leander, Mahesh to play together INDIA’s top tennis players, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, have both recovered from their injuries — the former had a wrist injury and the latter a shoulder problem — and have once again decided to pair together as and when their schedules allow them to do so, not only to play together for India but also in grand slam tournaments. In fact, they have already started playing together since they have overcome their fitness problems and have also ironed out their differences. This means the two will spearhead the Indian challenge against China in the Asia Zone Davis Cup in February next year. These words came from India’s non-playing Captain Ramesh Krishnan during an exclusive interview with The Tribune. Ramesh needs no introduction in this part of the region where his visits have been quite frequent, thanks to the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association, which keeps calling tennis experts to hone the skills of young tennis hopefuls. This time Ramesh was in Chandigarh to take a special coaching camp of the CLTA for eight top grade boys and 20 second grade boys and girls at the Sector 10 Tennis Stadium. The coming together of Leander and Mahesh certainly provides the silver lining for Indian tennis for their split and spelt doom for India. According to Ramesh the world’s best combination has realised that as individuals they lose the edge no matter with whom they combine with, so with this wisdom dawning on them, India is going to benefit immensely from this development. Now India can effectively tackle the challenge of China whom they meet in the Davis Cup Group I qualifying round in February next year. Though any encounter with China could be a mystery, yet India under Ramesh Krishnan seem to be preparing well for the tie. Though India had defeated China 5-0 when the two countries met the last time on grass, this time it could be a different proposition since China keeps things under wraps and could spring a surprise for the visitors. According to Ramesh, India will be playing in China where they would be offering a synthetic surface to the Indians so that their fiery weapons-the fast serves-could be blunted. Keeping this in view, Ramesh had chalked out a gruelling schedule for the Indian players. The immediate engagement for the top players is the Asia Cup in Delhi from December 18, followed by the ATP Gold Flake in Chennai where former Wimbledon champion and German star Boris Becker has also played. Then just before the Davis Cup tie, Ramesh has planned a warm-up tournament for the top 16 players of the country to bring them to peak form just before the tie. The top players include Syed Fazaluddin, Sunil Kumar, Harsh Mankad and Nitin Kirtane to name just a few. The players selected by AITA for the Indian team will be joined by Leander and Mahesh to tackle the Chinese dragon. But when Ramesh was asked whether there was any singles player who could walk into Leander or Mahesh’s shoes, the twice Wimbledon quarterfinalist said the field was wide open now than at any other time. A number of players were knocking at the door for selection in the Indian team. Ramesh agreed at the same time that no single player could be pinpointed in this connection, though, however, there were many players at various stages. In his opinion Tamil Nadu’s Arun Parkash and Calcutta’s Vinod Seva were fine products, so were Mumbai’s Karan Rastogi and Chandigarh products Amanjot Singh, Tushar and Shruti. Sunil Kumar from Chandigarh is of course a name already established. The only question now is how they progress further by getting more international exposure on varied surfaces so that they could meet any challenge. They are all talented and hardworking, rearing to go at the right moment. When Ramesh was asked why tennis in India had been linked to family traditions, he said it was also because the game in the past was more or less confined to metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Chennai, while other centres could not either afford the resources or they lacked proper facilities for players. Hence the game remained a sort of family tradition. But now, explained Ramesh, the scenario had changed drastically. The national tennis champion from Chandigarh, Sunil Kumar was originally from Kapurthala in Punjab. A number of places had developed as marvellous tennis centres with great facilities. The Chandigarh centre itself has 12 courts of all types, so the right kind of facilities do shape players and help them achieve excellence, holds Krishnan. In his opinion at the moment after Leander and Mahesh, India could look to players like Sunil Kumar or Harsh Mankad; they can fill the void. According to Ramesh the best course for India was to shortlist a group of highly talented players, who were knocking at the door for national recognition, and then give them the right kind of exposure, both at home and abroad, so that they could hone their playing skill besides getting mentally prepared for the tough job ahead. That way India can find replacements for their top players. Krishnan added that it had to be a sustained effort. One should agree with Ramesh for one knows what is he talking about. You need a highly motivated approach to the game to succeed at the international level where competition increases with every passing day. No one will know better than Ramesh who rose as high as 25th on the ATP list, a great achievement in itself. He entered the last eight in the men’s singles at the US Open and the Wimbledon. In 1986 at the last eight hurdle, he fell to the thundering serve of Yugoslavia’s Slobodon Zivojenoic, one of the most dangerous players of his time with his lethal service, the kind of serve that Goran Ivanisevic of Crotia has. If the readers would remember correctly it was Zivojenovic who had knocked out Sweden’s Mats Wilander in the first round of Wimbledon when the Swede was playing afresh after his victory at the French Open. So, Ramesh’s approach of shortlisting a select group of players seems to be on the right track for, this is the only way players can be prepared for tough battles ahead. Mr Rajan Kashyap, Chairman of the CLTA, who was also present during the interview with Ramesh, said this time the association conducted a unique experiment by chalking out a three-tier training schedule. The first part consisted of physical training for which Dr V. Paes, father of Leander Paes, was commissioned specifically for the job. He prepared the boys and girls for the gruelling session ahead from December 1 to 5. After he left, it was Ramesh who took over from December 7 and divided boys and girls in grade I and II. There were eight coaches and trainers to help Ramesh train the 28 youngsters during the special training programme. Realising that mental toughness also constituted an essential part of tennis training, the CLTA requisitioned the services of a yoga expert. Acharya Prem Bhatia, who taught yoga exercises to players to build their tough mental attitude which is so required in today’s cut throat competition. It is obvious the actual gain is that of Chandigarh and its players who can expect similar experiments in future from the CLTA which is doing all it can to provide the best possible facilities for the promotion of tennis. |
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Teeing-off Jyoti Randhawa, one of the most focused and resolute professionals of the country, has “peaked” at the right time. If he displays the form he showed in the recently concluded Singapore Open, he may as well claim the $ 500,000 Omega Hong Kong Open. If he does, he may be on the top of the heap of the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit. Randhawa (28), is a golfer with immense self-belief and self-confidence. Technically sound with an orthodox swing and steady putting, he is known for his fighting qualities. Not known for saying die, he emerges from difficult situations because of robust mind. He is one player who does not believe in carrying his problems on the course. In the Singapore Open at the Singapore Island Country Club, Randhawa began steadily with a par score of 72. But then he found his rhythm, poise and precision. He virtually burnt the course. On three successive days, he showed his prowess with scores of eight-under, seven-under and five-under. His aggregate of 20 under 268 provided him first title outside India. “I am so happy that I have found my touch in Singapore and won such a prestigious tournament outside India”, said a beaming Randhawa, who pocketed $ 64,600. This title was even more important than the Indian Open crown that he won some months ago. Randhawa’s 268 was the third lowest score on the Asian PGA Tour. Randhawa was a clear winner. He finished three strokes inside of the South African celebrity Hendrik Buhrmann. The South African was quick to say that Randhawa was a worthy winner judging from his play in the tournament. Amandeep Johl took a leaf out of Randhawa’s book. He also took his game to dizzy heights. He finished the final round with three under par. This placed him third along with England’s Simon Dyson, Korean Charlie Wi and Filipino Gerald Rosales. Several other Indians, including Arjun Atwal, did play well but could not finish among the first 10. In the forefront Irina Brar continues to dazzle among women. A good hitter of the ball, she has tightened her short game. What provides her immense satisfaction is that she now does not get overawed by the occasion or the course. She displayed all this at Calcutta’s Tollygunj Club, where he bagged the Eastern India title untroubled. Those, who have been watching her play, say that she has learnt to play without any undue worries. She considers every round a new day and plays her natural game. This helps her make fewer mistakes than what she used to do a few years ago. Irina’s city mate (Chandigarh) Parnita Grewal has slipped in performance and rankings not because she is inferior to the winner in technique and style of play. She is in a kind of a golf ‘whirlpool’. She will be able to emerge out of it only when she realises that her mind has to be 100 per cent relaxed when on course. Golf, like cricket, is in the mind of the player, who is engaged in playing against himself/herself. The Delhi experts, who have been monitoring Parnita’s progress, are quick to say that she is not as relaxed as she used to be two-three years ago. Her failure to strike form may be a temporary phase but the sooner she gets into her top gear the better it will be for her and also for Irina. In stiff competition is the progress of both these talented Chandigarh girls. Both these players are beholden to their mothers. But they both need to be left alone because it is they who have to play on the course. |
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Wake-up call to Indian
football ALL is well that ends well could well be the epitaph for Indian football before the beginning of the New Year. The agreement between the federation and the Indian Premier Football Association (IPFA), a conglomeration of some of the clubs involved in the National League but in the main those controlled or floated by influential business houses, reached recently has the ingredients to revitalise the game in the country. If in the next three to four years’ time Indian football takes a turn for the better, the two sides could well sit back and pat themselves for having regenerated the game in the country. Some of the points on which understanding or agreement was reached could and should have been implemented years ago, particularly the one relating to making a clear cut difference between an amateur and professional status. For years altogether Indian footballers, particularly those associated with the big clubs, have been allowed to wear the mask of amateurs and enjoying all the benefits despite bargaining for financial returns during the transfers. It was and is not their fault. It was the fault of the system which sought to mix priorities because of economic necessities. One could not fault a football player for earning extra money during the season even though, often enough, he had been given a job on the basis of his playing skill. And employed sportspersons in India are not expected to observe full time or duty. But clearly the money earned and demanded during transfers did violate the principles of amateurism. The federation, however, chose not to look closely into the money transaction. And why should it ? It did not have sufficient money of its own to disburse. But if the agreement arrived at between the federation and the IPFA is any guide then India will at last have a set of professional players. They may lose out at playing in the Olympic Games qualifying rounds and other such meets at amateur levels but it certainly will go a long way in clearing the air and separate the amateurs from the professionals. This two-tier classification, however, does not mean that there should be two separate bodies of administration. Once the status is defined the player and club will then be able to earn more money during transfers. This has been a point of debate even when the players have been wearing amateur masks. One remembers clubs in Mumbai making objections for non-payment of money during the transfer season. There appears to be some ambiguity about the status. According to one report the rule( the duration of being a professional) will only apply as long as a player is under contract to a particular club. Actually the normal practice is different. Once a player is deemed to be a professional then there is no coming back to amateur ranks. The other point which reportedly came up was an old one, that of the clubs beginning a junior wing in addition to supporting the cause of women’s football, if necessary the standard to be buoyed up with import of foreign players. In the latter case two of the prominent clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal appear to have taken the first step. The recruitment of foreign women footballers in time for participation in the IFA Women’s League in Calcutta will certainly be a shot in the arm for women football in India. So far interest in this field has generally been limited to Bengal, Manipur and a couple of other states in the eastern region. Once the IFA League for women picks up then the federation can spread the message by encouraging business houses to start regular tournaments on the lines of Rovers, Durand and DCM. Women in India have taken to hockey in a big way. There is no reason why they will not involved themselves in football to the same degree. The other issue which in the present context was a crucial one and the two sides reached an agreement related to the sharing of profits after all the expenses had been dealt with. As per the agreement the players and clubs are to get more money from the next edition of the league. Money for the players is always welcome. So far only the cricketers are paid and perhaps there is some money for the odd man in golf . But if Indian football and hockey players are given their due, perhaps more and more youngsters will take to these sports and perhaps see it as an incentive and inducement to improve their standards. Here it must said that for all the efforts of foreign coaches and international exposure, India has not produced players of the class of the period before 1975. Perhaps only Vijayan and maybe Bhutia could be classed in the same grade. That is the reason why Indian football standards are seen as falling. It is a fall when compared to its own standards, not that of the world around. Now coming back to the main issue of the National Football League and the agreeement reached between the two parties there remains one pertinent question. If the two parties were both interested in promoting the game then whey was the start of the league delayed. All these issues could have been discussed during the last six months of the existence of the IPFA. There was no justification on the part of the IPFA in delaying the league. The game should have been allowed to continue and the issues sorted out during or even after. The All-India Football Federation too appears to have been very insensitive to the needs of the players and clubs. Surely it was no secret that the clubs and players were unhappy with the conduct of the league and the general administration of the game. The public too was seeing less and less football. In this connection the discontinuation of the DCM Tournament in Delhi and the capsuling of other major tournaments to just ten or twelve days had come as a big blow to not only the game but also to the spectators. In this respect the advancing of the transfer season and the restructuring of the calendar will go a long way in revamping the conduct of the game. But whatever be the final look of the calendar the federation must ensure that popular tournaments are not a casualty. Irrespective of the craze for cricket and the publicity it gets, football is arguably still the most popular game in the country. The federation should keep it that way. |
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A new tennis star rises GUSTAVO KUERTEN may not be a household name in the country but he has done something which any tennis player from any country will die to achieve. He claimed the No 1 position in the world by winning the Masters Cup. With his achievement he became the first non-American player to end the year at the top of the ATP list since 1991 when Stefan Edberg of Sweden ended the year as the No 1 player. Apart from this he is the first Brazilian and South American to finish the season at the top position. The baby-faced Brazilian came into the limelight in 1997 when he won the French Open Championship as the second lowest player to win. He won the French Open Championship this summer also. His feat becomes more incredible as we are talking about a player who come from a small town, Florianopolis, of Brazil. A country with no championships and no ATP tournaments. The emergence of Gustavo Kuerten’s as the best player in the world was very dramatic as it was decided on the last day of the season and in the last match. ‘‘Guga’’, as Gustavo is popularity known, entered the Masters 75 points behind the current US champion and No 1 player Marat Safin. Safin was defeated by Andre Aggasi in the semi-final and had Aggasi won the final Sofin would have remained No 1. But it was sheer perfection and power of the young Gustavo Kuerten who blew Aggasi in straight sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Before this match Gustavo had defeated Pete Sampras in the semi-finals. It is really a rare feat to defeat two greatest players of tennis in continuous matches. This happened only once before when Michael Chang defeated both these champions in back-to-back matches in 1990 in Toronto. Gustavo Kuerten who is in the habit of dedicating his great victories to someone special has dedicated this victory to his mother, Alice, whom he embraced after the victory. Apart from a pat from his grandmother, Olga, he won a championship prize money of $ 1.4 million. According to Gustavo to finish the year as world No 1 was his farthest dream and he had newer imagined that it could be achieved in such a tight year. An year which saw different winners in all grand slam events. And all the winners were present in the semi-finals of the Masters Cup! Something you do not see quiet often. Gustavo does not have any future plans right now. As now the tennis season is over and the festive season is on he is planning to have a really fulfilled festive season. But when the new tennis season will start from January, 2001 we expect to see great tennis from this 24-year-old Brazilian who have broken the 10 year old dominance of American players at the top position of the game. |
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Morarka’s comments irresponsible THE outbursts of Mr Kamal Morarka against the CBI were mean, uncalled for and irresponsible. A few days back, he accused our premier investigating agency of being corrupt and has now described its report as a prostitute’s diary. Definitely these utterings can’t be that of a sane person. The irony is that the gentleman is getting away with all the lose talk. The report of the CBI on match-fixing and betting has been applauded by every cricket-loving Indian except these white elephants lording over the BCCI, who can’t differentiate between a no ball and a wide ball, but are having fun touring the world, enjoying hospitality at five star hotels and playing politics with the game. The need of the hour is that the Government of India should intervene and shunt out the present lot of administrators, who are equally responsible for the episode and appoint in their place sincere and knowledgeable people such as retired distinguished players like Bishan Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Kirti Azad, Wadekar and Mohinder Amarnath. On its part the CBI should file a defamation case against Mr Morarka for his unbecoming and rude conduct. J.K. MAGO Indian cricket We feel ashamed over the affairs concerning Indian cricket. Of course, there are many weaknesses in our players but to a great extent the cricket board is responsible for the mess. How is that talented players are ignored. Why are players, who have failed once, selected again and again? Why are youngster like Sodhi, Kaif and Martin selected only to sit in the pavilion? Why are Ajit Agarkar, Kambli and Dahiya playing? Devi Bhushan Sharma II In our country where people find it difficult to get two square meals a day, the cricketers are enjoying a lavish life but when it comes to upholding national pride they fail miserably as at Sharjah. My sincere advice to all countrymen is to shun these players. Time is valuable. Why waste time for such people? Anil Goel Sachin’s knock The run-making machine of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, deserves heartiest congratulations for the double century against Zimbabwe in the second Test. He remained unbeaten on 201. It was his second double century. Incidentally he has touched the 51st century mark in one-day and Test matches. He is the only batsman in the world to achieve this landmark. In fact he was running a bad patch and runs were not coming as expected. Now that chapter is over. Subhash C. Taneja |
