‘Clean Sports’ awareness run in Chennai

CHENNAI - Former international heptathlete and long jumper Reeth Abraham has come a long way since her retirement from competitive athletics nearly two decades ago. Sharing the passion and desire of hockey Olympian Pargat Singh, she has joined the ace full-back’s latest venture “Clean Sports India” in conducting an awareness run here Sep 26.

Pargat Singh’s initiative was launched June 23 as part of the movement involving former sportspersons who now seek to run the affairs of various sports federations in India by wresting the authority from politicians.

At a Media conference here today, Abraham said: “The objective of the CSI is to create an environment wherein Olympic Sports Federation, associations and clubs in India are managed essentially by former sportspersons and also to create an atmosphere wherein Olympic sports in India are practiced and competed without any influence of drugs.”

Joining hands with her are other Bangalore-based former sportspersons, including sprinter Ashwini Nachappa, as they seek to manage Indian sports with the help of sports management professionals.

Pointing out the flaws in the country’s sports management set-up, Abraham said: “Our Indian Olympic family and federations are essentially controlled by people who have never played a sport in their lives, and (Indian Olympic Association president) Suresh Kalmadi’s statement that only politicians can run sports federations, is bizarre and it is something the sporting fraternity of our country strongly objects to.”

“It is time for a civil movement to emerge strongly against these corrupt, unaccountable officials who have used sports as a vehicle to gain political power.”

CSI’s agenda includes conducting discussions and seminars besides awareness runs so as to mobilise public opinion, she said.