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Indian athletes aren't speaking up, but do we know why?

Indian athletes arent speaking up, but do we know why?
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By

Saksham Mishra

Published: 19 Dec 2019 2:21 PM GMT

India has been in flames for the last few days. And, this time, it is not a marginal population that is up in arms against the establishment. The protests against the recently-passed Citizenship Amendment Act are only expected to grow louder in the coming days. But there's something peculiar playing out in the midst of it all.

When you see the brutality of the police lathi-charge on the students and the ferocity with which the protest is being curbed, it shakes you to the core. The natural reaction is that you want to know whether or not it has elicited a similar reaction from others, not least your sporting icons, who are at least in theory, supposed to be the personification of righteousness and resistance.

Obviously, our sporting heroes will be aware of what is going on in the country. Why ain't they speaking up then? Something? Anything? Nothing! You are surprised. You are intrigued. You are befuddled.

On further digging, you find, Sushant Singh (No, not Manav, the Savdhaan India host) to be one of the few actors to not just play armchair activist but join the protests on the ground. Minutes later, there's news that Sushant has quit Savdhaan India.

sachin tendulkar
Voicing your opinion - even if it is slightly different to that of the establishment - comes at a cost.

Here comes the answer to your question: Why ain't Indian athletes speaking up? Because voicing your opinion - even if it is slightly different to that of the establishment - comes at a cost. There seems to be this indirect messaging to the Indian sportspersons and celebs at large by the government that as long as you are on 'their side', all the appreciation and the accolades will follow, obviously with weight to merit. But if you decide to cross the white line, all hell breaks loose.

That precisely explains the silence of the Indian sportspersons. You are either with us or against us. You're either patriotic or anti-national. Nothing in between. And no Indian athlete at the moment has the guts to be projected on the wrong side of the 'us versus them' debate.

The level of public discourse, in general, has also gone down in the country and allowed a contrary opinion to exist while not agreeing to it is an art forgotten. Even in one-to-one exchanges, people have developed too thin a skin to disagree in a civilised manner. Remember when Abhinav Bindra backed Nikhat Zareen's demand for trials before the Olympics, how coarse was Mary Kom's response? Naturally, next time, Bindra will consider it best to reserve his judgement to himself in order to avoid another controversy.

Abhinav Bindra
Remember when Abhinav Bindra backed Nikhat Zareen's demand for trials before the Olympics, how coarse was Mary Kom's response?

Parallels are being drawn that if American football sensation and Ballon d’Or winner, Megan Rapinoe can refuse to take her team to the White House, why can't Indian athletes show solidarity with the student protesters at this crucial hour?

Read more: The country deserves a better class of role models

Not only did Rapinoe criticise the US government publicly, but she also did so blatantly, further adorning it with obscenities. What a thug, isn't she?

But, we forget that she and several others like her can afford to do that because there are not such severe repercussions. You are allowed to express what you feel. Of course, public perception and branding follow in the western world as well, but you receive the backing of the media (CNN, MSNBC or FOX- depending on the side you fall on) and above all, you are not demonised or offered a ticket to Pakistan right away.

Moreover, when most of our top film stars, who have much more privilege than sportspersons, have not had the courage to speak up, is it fair to hold sportspersons accountable? After all the hard yards that the Indian athletes have put in to reach where they have, they now expect payback in terms of recognition and sponsorship.

If they know that one statement of theirs has the potential to send everything awry, why will they be willing to risk it? Put yourself in their shoes. Would you do it? Why should a sensible person shoot himself or herself in the foot?

P V Sindhu
If they know that one statement of theirs has the potential to send everything awry, why will they be willing to risk it?

Yes, probably the tipping point has come to think of the greater good of the country over personal gains, but you can't criticise them for not speaking up. It's each one to his/her own at the end of the day.

If an Indian athlete has reached a place of fame and financial stability or aspires to attain it, he or she obviously won't want it to go to dogs. Monetary concerns are one thing but the character assassination that follows will make anyone think twice before even breaking into a whimper.

Freewheeling expression of opinion happens in a robust democracy. A democracy that offers fundamental rights before demanding its citizens to abide by their fundamental duties. Until we cannot offer our athletes security and fail to create an environment where they feel safe enough to voice their opinions, we have no right to criticise them for not speaking up.

Opinions expressed in the article are of the author and not that of the organisation.

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