Quest for Medal

Kambam Ibohal Singh *

The people of Manipur received MC Mary Kom with tears of happiness and joy on her return from Barbados winning fifth Medal in boxing championship. Magnificient Mary Kom from a humble family is really abode of wealth not only for her parents, also for the tiny State, Manipur and India.

The lady from the North East India out-shines others to be an exemplary and ideal legend decorated with Khel Ratana, the highest sport award for her decent pugilism. She has been selected for Beijing Asian games to be held in Nov 2010 in 51 Kg category. Arjuna awardees L Sarita Devi is also a legend lady pugilist who has brought laurels for India for which the Manipuri people are proud of.

Both Mary Kom and Sarita Devi were appearing in the world boxing arena in many events in different categories viz 46/48 Kg and 51 Kg respectively. But this time IBF’s decision to select Mary Kom (46/48 Kg Cate) for 51 Kg category and dropping Sarita Devi from her 51 Kg Category in a Controversial selection trial has invited public debate and criticism.

Sarita Devi asserted that the unfair practice in a conspired manner in conducting selection trial has been the cause of her rage to the extent even to surrender the Arjuna Award and not to play for India. Why this contention/dispute between the two sisters? The accountability and onus of this unnecessarily created situation is with the IBF.

The people of Manipur are ever keeping the two sisters in the innermost vision as lovely and colorful flowers of the tiny garden, Manipur to refresh our body and mind from their spectacular performances. This is handiwork and ploy of some mean minded and self interested heartland people to divide the people of this land. These people are ever trying even to deepen the divide in full scale only to ensure or insure a mere medal in the Asian game.

This is not the only instance. In a controversial selection puzzle/confusion L Monica Devi (weight lifter) was trapped in a conspiratory doping case when she was about to board the aircraft to Beijing Olympic 2008. That was a preplanned plot not allowing her time to complain, exactly a fitting treatment for the flat nose NE people. However, Monica took it with a pinch of salt in pains and tears.

The talented youths of young generation of Manipur would garner more medals for you, India. No needs of half hearted praising note "Manipur is a sport power house". Game and Sport is a small industry for our talented hapless youths who is already praise worthy.

India takes care of the medal; not of the medalist. Renubala Chanu, the gold Medalist of CWG (Weight lifting) moved in an auto rickshaw for game village without security at the surprise of the media reporters. In this context the defensive statement issued by the IWF was a well prepared and coloured one to conceal the lapses on the part of the IWF.

India could add one more gold medal in the medal tally by dint of Renubala Chanu and got the prestige in the international arena only to forget and take care of the golden Chanu for rubbish box/dust bin.

The accusation of Manipur Olympic Association Secretary that Renubala made a mistake of going out on her own due to her excitement is baseless and not acceptable since all players were ferried with full security and were not supposed to move out of the game village and stadium as he added. The people of Manipur and the golden Chanu should not be deceived in this filthy way.

The corrupt practices are not only in sport persons’ selection. Everywhere it spreads. The preparation of CWG, Delhi was not free from corruption and mismanagement ranging from construction works to lying out of unhygienic game village and Swimming pool water, whereas China could clear the World Olympic without any corruption charge in preparation of infrastructure of game venues and smoothly conducted the Olympic game festival in a fair manner.

The Indian mindset ever calls for a change.