Shaming of India

For a country with 1.2 billion people, India is an Olympic minnow, with few medals to show for its sporting prowess. Part of the reason for this poor showing became evident on Tuesday when the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), thereby preventing any Indian sportsperson from participating in the Olympic Games. The reason: continuous government (read political) interference. The mismanagement of the Commonwealth Games in Delhi two years ago should have served as an eye-opener. Instead, things have gone from bad to worse, leading to the latest national ignominy that came after two politically connected individuals in IOA slugged it out for the control of a body which has now become irrelevant. Even in a country that has seen several sporting disappointments, the ban is a new low.