India Thread

[Sanz]

Unfortunately, the cricket-above-everything is hurting Indian sports in general. There is no funding, no equipment, no interest. Very few kids want to play hockey anymore. As you say, it's sad to see how far the mighty have fallen. Especially considering it was the only sport that you could say India were clearly the best at in the world at any point in their history.

We can not and should not blame cricket for our problem in other sports. Hockey is immensely popular in India and something a lot of Indians take great pride in. I still remember the celebration we had in 1998 when India won the Hockey Gold in Asian games after 32 years. For many of us Dhanraj was bigger than Sachin Tendulkar and it was the pefect time for the Hockey Administrators to bring Hockey back into the national spotlight. But they wasted the opportunity as always.

In Tennis, we grew up watching Ramesh Krishnan and Leander Paes bringing great success to us in Davis Cup and for many Leander Paes is easily bigger than the likes of Tendulkar, he still is for me, but once again the silly bickerings between top players and dirty politics in the Tennis administration has made many fans like me get away from Indian Tennis.

I can give you examples in pretty much every sport, on why fans have been deserting and IMO cricket is least responsible.

[Sanz]

Haha, the best example of that is the irony that the phrase 'Chak De India', which originated from a film about hockey, has been predominantly used as a form of support to the Indian cricket team.

Very true. The Cricket administrators have marketed the sport by adding the 'patriotic' flavor to the Team when in reality the Indian Cricket team isn't even a national team (compared to Hockey) and is really an independent private sporting body.

IMO, that movie became popular because it showed something we Indians starved for. I would give up watching Cricket for a Olympic Hockey Gold. I hope we win one in my lifetime.

[Sanz]

Wouldn't work, Indian people don't like being told what to do. In anything really.

I agree, a Chinese style breeding will not work in India and I dont believe we Indian want to achieve sporting success that way.

If our sports administration is cleaned up and we get rid of the dirty politics - I believe we have enough talent to win gold medals in our traditional events and we can compete well in events where we have produced some quality athletes/sportsmen in some(or all) of the following events

Traditional Sports :- Hockey, Archery, Fencing, Sailing, Rowing, Swimming, Wrestling

Popular Sports Events - Shooting, Badminton, Tennis, Athletics, Football.

I am not saying that we will win medal in all those events, but There is enough talent in our country that can compete well with the best of the best in the world.

[duffer]

One of the things I want to see in my lifetime(still 22 so long way to go) is us qualify for a football World Cup. I guess we can all have dreams eh?

[Goughy]

I agree, a Chinese style breeding will not work in India and I dont believe we Indian want to achieve sporting success that way.

If our sports administration is cleaned up and we get rid of the dirty politics - I believe we have enough talent to win gold medals in our traditional events and we can compete well in events where we have produced some quality athletes/sportsmen in some(or all) of the following events

Traditional Sports :- Hockey, Archery, Fencing, Sailing, Rowing, Swimming, Wrestling

Popular Sports Events - Shooting, Badminton, Tennis, Athletics, Football.

I am not saying that we will win medal in all those events, but There is enough talent in our country that can compete well with the best of the best in the world.

2 of the strongest of the sports at a notch below top comp are boxing and weightlifting. At the last Commonwealth Games 14 of the 23 non-shooting medals came in those 2 sports.

[Jono]

One of the things I want to see in my lifetime(still 22 so long way to go) is us qualify for a football World Cup. I guess we can all have dreams eh?

You're just asking for trouble saying that

[Sanz]

2 of the strongest of the sports at a notch below top comp are boxing and weightlifting. At the last Commonwealth Games 14 of the 23 non-shooting medals came in those 2 sports.

India has been doing well in weightlifting, mainly women but lately this sport has been marred with lot of doping charges and there isn't really much hope. Again, administration issue.

Boxing, I would agree, that we have lot of potential.

[Anil]

That was my point; the plucky little GB team knocked the once-mighty Indian hockey machine out in qualifying. Fist time India haven't been in the Olympic tournament in forever.

good thing too...especially for hockey, it is better to send a team that would distinguish itself rather than some team that just barely managed to qualify and then plumb the depths of olympic competition....that's what has been happening in the recent olympics...unfortunately with the ric charlesworth fiasco and all, it doesn't even look like the morons of the ihf got a wakeup call...a good indian hockey team would be really fun to watch but unfortunately good and indian hockey don't go together anymore...

[Samuel_Vimes]

Abhinav Bindra shooting for a medal in the air rifle aws

two shots left, Bindra leading by 0.1 of a ring for the first gold medal to India since 1980...

now tied with one shot left...

shoots a near-perfect 10.8 and takes gold! Congrats India!

[superkingdave]

Yeah good to see India take their first ever individual gold.

[biased indian]

Great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[duffer]

Wooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

[Precambrian]

ITS A GOLD!!!!

[masterblaster]

Absolutely fantastic stuff! It's a great achivement and hopefully this will act as an incentive to other potential young athletes in India!

Very happy and very proud of Abhinav Bindra! We're on the board with a gold medal!

[Pratters]

Have been expecting 2-4 medals from the shooting team this time. Great stuff and makes you feel very proud to be an Indian. Better late than never.