The Doping Saga: An Eye-opener

Chon Haokip *

The doping saga of Monika Devi snuffed out the hopes and expectations of millions. That the daughter of Manipur, chosen to represent the country, in weightlifting discipline in the recently concluded Beijing Olympic Games, failed the doping test in the last minute.

Many of us blamed the 'politicization' of the selection procedure and 'discrimination' for being a north-easterner. The entire episode jolted the State. Many angry fans vent out their ire by carrying out all forms of agitations in Imphal area.

Editorial, articles and opinion polls flooded the media (print and visual). Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh sought the intervention of CBI to investigate the matter.

He held the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) responsible for shattering Monika's dream of representing the country in the Olympic Games. The whole exoneration took long. By the time IOA cleared the air, Beijing already shut the door.

I as a citizen of the state shared the agony. I can understand the mental trauma she would have undergone all these while. Her family, friends, well-wishers, the State and the Country put high expectation on her.

As a sportsperson, she'll personally have high enthusiasm for representing the country in the largest sporting extravaganza that every sportsperson aspire to participate. I could also imagine the toils and tears she shed all these years to come along to have ever given a chance in a short span of her sporting career.

And the angst in her would have gone from bad to worse with each passing day when Olympians of her compatriots claimed medals for their countries.

The point I want to raise here is the term 'discrimination,' and 'politicization'. Article 15 of our Constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

The architects of our Constitution, I'm sure, would have known fully well the pains of discrimination, and hence, the prohibition. Discrimination of any sort or in any form is indeed hideous to the victim. The infamous racial discrimination (abuse) episode of Shilpa Shetty by show-mate Jade Goody in the British Reality Show Big Brother shook the entire nation into unison.

My question here is: Are we free from 'discrimination' or 'politicization,' the words we blamed the SAI/IOA?
Is there justice all around and meted out equally to all?
Political, social, economical, educational..?
Coming to sports domain, do we recruit sportsperson from all community?
Do all communities in the state have equal accessibility to the State's sports' infrastructure?
How many sports complex do we built for people from far flung areas?
How many players from minority background do we induct in our State team?

The answer obviously is: NO, NONE or VERY FEW. Do we have to defend ourselves saying that they (read as tribals) don't acquire the fitness level? Or do we have to say that it (discrimination) is universal?

Manipur is known to outsiders as sports-loving, sports-excelling state. As one staying outside Manipur, I do hardly miss the games where our state plays. Many Hindi-speaking friends of mine, unaware of the various contradictions within us, applaud me for my states' performances and achievements (if any).

I would rather reluctantly share the credit. I would proudly narrate them the Manipuri players in Indian National Football team, Hockey, Kabaddi, or whatever. The Olympians, Asian Games medalists, Arjuna and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees, players from various disciplines in the National team and the list goes on.

The point to be noted here is the whole notion of 'politicization' and 'discrimination.' Nobody tolerate the 'discrimination' or preference of someone to another solely because s/he belongs to my community.

Before we point fingers at others, let's spare a thought to reflect ourselves. Let the doping saga of Monika Devi serve as an eye-opener to us.

We might clap our hand stealthily when things as such happen to others. But when it comes to us, we know the real taste.

Or to simply put; minorities (tribals) feel the pain the way you did, when your (Meitei's) own daughter was discriminated (allegedly) by mainland people. The Bible thus advises us -- 'as you sow, so shall you reap', 'do unto others as you like them do unto you'.