 Dashing around Doha-1
Ok, so Rathore complained about rude security officials, amongst other things. And there has been a hue and cry over that. Now are the organisers going to demand an apology from every single person who is annoyed and complains?
Here is the deal about the 15th Asian Games.
It’s a GREAT event. More athletes, countries and events than ever before.
But that’s not the only reason.
It is great, because it is revolutionary for the region.
Because it cocks a snook at zealots in the region.
Because it is telling the world that the place be in the news for positive reasons.
That sports is indeed a great
leveller.
It is great also because it is an awakening (even rude at times) for the country as well; that media cannot be controlled and doctored.
That free speech and freedom of expression are not mere words on an UN resolution you sign. They are actions a in a real democracy.
That though media and public expression is censored in several regions of the world, for a growing majority it is no longer true.
So when security personnel are rude and often inefficient, we need to call it as it is.
It shows the hosts in poor light when uniformed staff at checkpoints lounge around with a lit cigarette, on their mobile bluetooths, screaming “Yalla! Yalla!” (roughly translated as get going) at spectators entering the stadium.
It’s even worse if they mete out the same treatment to the guests of honour – the
athletes.
So while Rathore did sound like a crybaby talking about ‘conditions’ that gave him only a bronze, he was justified in raising a ruckus over rude officials.
However, it is hardly in the spirit of a games or sportsmanlike for the hosts to threaten to sue an athlete for shooting off his mouth.
Welcome to Doha-2006.
And more importantly, welcome to the real world, Doha!
(The writer is a journalist currently Dashing Around Doha, at the Asian Games)
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