BANGALORE: Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al-Sabah, President of OCA and Lee Yun Taek, President of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee finally decided on the Sports Programme for the 17th Asian Games.
Whatever the yardsticks, the Olympic Council of Asia and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games Organising Committee’s decision is baffling. The IAGOC had proposed a total of 35 sports at the Guangzhou OCA General Assembly based on the amendments made to the OCA. The 35 sports proposed by IAGOC were the 28 Olympic sports plus baseball, bowling, kabaddi, sepaktakraw, softball, squash, and wushu. However, the OCA Executive Board decided that the inclusion of cricket and karatedo would be more beneficial towards the overall direction of the Asian Games.
As per the OCA Constitution, the OCA has the sole authority to approve the sports program. Based on this fact, OCA and IAGOC have included the following sports program for the 17th Asian Games: 1) 28 Olympic sports; 2) Baseball; 3) Bowling (usage of existing venues as recommended by OCA); 4) Kabaddi; 5) Sepaktakraw; 6) Squash; 7) Wushu; 8) Cricket (temporary venues); 9) Karatedo. It was also agreed that no additional sports will be allowed to be added to the sports program once announced.
In the bargain, pencak silat, soft tennis and cue sports have been excluded from the programme.
Indians watch cricket only when the full-strength national team plays. And a full-strength national team will not be present at the Asiad. India did not even send a team for the Guangzhou Asian Games. The same may happen in Incheon as well.
Though India has reigned supreme in kabaddi, the sport has very little exposure on the small screen. Thus in what way will these disciplines benefit the Asiad movement?
The number of Asian nations which pursue and participate in a particular discipline should have been the determining factor.
But sadly, the OCA’s decision making process, like most sports bodies, appears to be steeped in politics. Facts can always be buried.
