India wants violence, corruption, drug abuse out of sports

UNITED NATIONS - India has called for strong vigil and resolute action to prevent intrusion of evils like violence, corruption, hooliganism, deception and drug abuse into sports

Describing sport is a reflection of the society, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur Monday regretted: “The degeneration of values in the society - violence, corruption, hooliganism, deception and drug abuse are also making inroads in sport.”

“Concerted vigil and resolute action are needed to prevent intrusion of these evils and to protect the noble ideals and spirit behind the Olympic Games and other sports,” she said participating in a discussion in the UN General Assembly.

“It must be our endeavour to promote sports and a culture of sports in our countries,” Preneet Kaur said during a debate on ‘Sport for peace and development: building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal’.

“This can only contribute in promoting development, peace, friendship, cooperation and understanding among peoples.”

She said India was “very pleased that the 2016 Olympics have been awarded to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, a fellow developing country, and that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by South Africa, a first for the African continent.”

“We have no doubt that the hosting of major global sporting events in developing countries would contribute in an immense manner to the advancement of sports in developing countries and spur developmental activities,” Preneet Kaur said.

India was proud that New Delhi will be hosting the next Commonwealth Games from October 3-14, 2010, she said describing these games as “a unique, world class, multi-sport event” with the movement’s three core values of humanity, equality and destiny.

Preneet Kaur said India is steadfast in its commitment to the Olympic charter and, as in previous years, is cosponsoring in the General Assembly the resolution on ‘Sport for peace and development’.