Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh is not happy with Salman Khan’s appointment as the goodwill ambassador of the Indian Olympic contingent. He remarks that a sportsperson should have been made the ambassador.
“I am of the view that our sportspersons; be those from shooting, athletics, volleyball or other sports, they are the real ambassadors of India who would represent the country in the Olympics. Still, if we had to pick an ambassador, it could have been from the sporting arena,” the Times of India (TOI) quoted the 85-year-old legend.
“India has produced so many sportspersons who have given their sweat and blood for the country like PT Usha, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Ajit Pal and so many others. One of these could have been made a goodwill ambassador. What was the need to import a person from Bollywood?” he asked.
Milkha Singh had won the gold medal in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. According to TOI report, the fact that no Indian sportsperson had been picked up as ambassador saddened the ex-sprinter.
“I want to make it clear that I am not against Salman Khan, but the decision of the IOA is wrong and the government should intervene in the matter. This is for the first time I am seeing a Bollywood hero being made goodwill ambassador for Olympics. I want to ask has Bollywood ever made any sportsperson an ambassador for any of their mega event?” he said.
“I want that the decision to name Salman Khan as ambassador to be revised,” he remarked.
The IOA had said that it would also rope in icons from music, cricket, and other sports to motivate the athletes and to popularize the event.
“When celebrities who appeal to the public come forward to help naturally we get more publicity which is good for sports. The trend among the youth is that they look towards such film celebrities. If we utilise them there’s no harm,” IOA vice president Tarlochan Singh told TOI.
“We’re getting his help and not giving him anything. IOA is not paying him a penny,” he added supporting the decision.
