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Just a week after commotion over the engagement of Bollywood actor Salman Khan as the Goodwill Ambassador for India at the Rio Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday also approached cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar to join Salman – as per the ANI who tweeted.
It has also been learnt from the sources that musician AR Rahman and Olympic gold medal winning shooter Abhinav Bindra might also be on IOA’s list of Goodwill Ambassadors for the forthcoming Rion Olympics.
“We are in communication with Sachin Tendulkar and A R Rahman to become brand ambassadors of the Indian Olympic contingent. We are yet to get their consent,” said Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Tarlochan Singh.
“We will rope in more people. Salman Khan will also remain,” he added.
After IOA named Salman for the role, Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and celebrated sprinter Milkha Singh expressed their displeasure at the appointment of somebody who wasn’t a sportsperson.
They were later joined by many other sportspersons who maintained that a sports personality should have been named. However, Salman garnered support from the likes Sourav Ganguly, Baichung Bhutia, Saina Nehwal and Sunil Gavaskar.
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The IOA then clarified that Salman’s appointment did not involve any monetary aspect and was only done to cash in on his popularity so that more and more people support India’s Olympic campaign.
In a statement issued by IOA Secretary Rajeev Mehta, the association also said that it will soon try to appoint famous personalities from the cricket and music world in the capacity of a Goodwill Ambassador.
Writing to Sachin is a move in the same direction by the IOA.
Tendulkar has always batted for sportspersons in the country and his inclusion will surely boost the confidence of the athletes.
Yogeshwar Dutt who had criticised IOA for appointing Salman as Goodwill Ambassador shared his happiness over their decision to approach Sachin.
Salman Khan’s appointment as India’s Goodwill Ambassador at the upcoming Rio Games was criticised by several Indian athletes, including wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and Track & Field legend Milkha Singh.
“Everybody has the right to promote movies in India, but Olympics is not a place to promote films.” Yogeshwar tweeted in Hindi.
“Can anyone tell me what the role of goodwill ambassador is? Why are you fooling the public?” he added.
Milkha, who won gold in 1958 and 1962 Asian Games, said the fact that no Indian sportsperson had been picked up as ambassador saddened him.
One among a few on the other side of the debate was former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
“I’m happy and fine with him (Salman) being the ambassador, as he brings visibility and glamour quotient to anything.
“You cannot deny that Salman is popular and he would bring visibility to the Rio Olympics. He is an entertainer. I think it’s fine to have him appointed as the ambassador. I think they can have other ambassadors as well; it’s nowhere written that they can only have one ambassador,” Ganguly said at an event on Thursday.
Now, with the IOA bringing in Tendulkar into the fray, here’s hoping we have seen the last of the unprecedented drama that has unfolded over the last five days.