CNN-IBN
Published on Tue, Apr 01, 2008 at 14:56, Updated at Tue, Apr 01, 2008 in Sports section
New Delhi: India football captian Bhaichung Bhutia’s decision to not participate in the Olympic torch relay has sparked a flurry of reactions.
One of India's greatest athletes, Olympian Milkha Singh has asked Bhutia to rethink his decision.
“I read Bhutia’s statement in papers. He is a renowned player but I feel politics should not be mixed with sport. In my view, sportsmen should stay away from politics. I am participating in the torch relay and Bhutia should also rethink his decision. The Central Government must take up the Tibet issue and resolve it so that our teams can participate in the Olympics,” he said.
Former Delhi police commissioner Kiran Bedi – who will be one of the torchbearers – too said there were “other ways of expressing solidarity with a cause”. She said Olympics torch should not be made an issue.
Bhaichung reacted to the remarks and told CNN-IBN his decision was “personal”.
“Decision not to carry Olympic torch is entirely personal, not political. I am not doing this on behalf of any organisation or group. I'm not even asking others to join me. Not carrying the Olympic torch was an obvious decision for me as I am against the violence and oppression in Tibet," he said.
Bravo Bhutia! May your act inspire more and more people to protest against the strangulation of religious freedom by Communist China not only in Tibet but in China itself.
Published on Tue, Apr 01, 2008 at 14:56, Updated at Tue, Apr 01, 2008 in Sports section
New Delhi: India football captian Bhaichung Bhutia’s decision to not participate in the Olympic torch relay has sparked a flurry of reactions.
One of India's greatest athletes, Olympian Milkha Singh has asked Bhutia to rethink his decision.
“I read Bhutia’s statement in papers. He is a renowned player but I feel politics should not be mixed with sport. In my view, sportsmen should stay away from politics. I am participating in the torch relay and Bhutia should also rethink his decision. The Central Government must take up the Tibet issue and resolve it so that our teams can participate in the Olympics,” he said.
Former Delhi police commissioner Kiran Bedi – who will be one of the torchbearers – too said there were “other ways of expressing solidarity with a cause”. She said Olympics torch should not be made an issue.
Bhaichung reacted to the remarks and told CNN-IBN his decision was “personal”.
“Decision not to carry Olympic torch is entirely personal, not political. I am not doing this on behalf of any organisation or group. I'm not even asking others to join me. Not carrying the Olympic torch was an obvious decision for me as I am against the violence and oppression in Tibet," he said.
Bravo Bhutia! May your act inspire more and more people to protest against the strangulation of religious freedom by Communist China not only in Tibet but in China itself.
1 comment:
I am disspointed by Kiran Bedi and others who think that it makes sense to participate. Basically, we are a poor neighbour. Its not that tibet is a far away issue. We have tibetians living in India and Dalai Lama who carries out the only sole peaceful protest of this scale. I think we are connected to this issue. We do not have to tell China what to do, but we should be able to express our solidarity with the people who live with us.
Post a Comment