Commonwealth Games trap event bronze medal winner Manavjit Singh Sandhu believes that sports awards should be given on the basis of performance of an athlete and not on a sportsperson’s discipline.
“I would have to study the directions that the Sports Ministry has come out with but naturally for an athlete it may be unfair to somebody who has done exceptionally well. I think they should stick to the performance of the athlete and not necessarily cap it with a number,” Manavjit told The Pioneer on the sidelines of a function in the Capital.
Recently, there was a controversy over giving away the Arjuna awards to boxer Jai Bhagwan as he was chosen over boxer Manoj Kumar. A review committee was set up and it was decided that one sportsperson from a discipline would be given the award.
2014 CWG were Sandhu’s fifth Games and his third-place finish kept up the good work of the shooters as the discipline contributed 17 medals (four gold, nine silver and four bronze) to India’s tally of 64 medals. After his performance though, Manavjit looked a little disappointed as a gold medal was within sight.
“When you go to events like these, you want to come back with gold. And, with the new final rules, anything can happen. So I was disappointed at not winning the gold. But as I said, with the final rules, I could have easily come back without bronze. So, I am happy with it,” the 1998 CWG gold medallist added.
Over the period between his first medal at CWG in Kuala lumpur, Malaysia and his latest feat in the quadrennial event, Manavjit believes there have been a change in the perception level of the way world looks at India. Then our shooters used to be mere contenders but now serious challengers.
“On the shooting front, India is now considered the country to beat these days. It’s a complete change from my first Games where we were considered rank outsiders,” he added.
So, what next for this Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna winner for the year 2006-2007 and Arjuna awardee in 1998IJ “I head for the World Championships which take place in the first week of September and then for the Asian Games(September 19th to October 4th),” the shooter said.
And, how different, tougher or easier, would the competition be at the Asiads vis-à-vis the CWGIJ
“At this level the competition is always tough. I believe the Asian countries are generally good so the competition is tough. But when you compare the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games it depends on event to event so generalizing it is very difficult. like in my event, in the CWG you have the two-time Olympic gold medallist (Michael Diamond of Australia) so he naturally is the guy to beat. So, both are tough,” he pointed out.
As shooting is in the midst of happy times this world champion (he won the tile earlier this year in April) has some encouraging words for the system.
“The federation is working very well and the new president (Raninder Singh is amazing, he signed off.