Lovlina making news for the wrong reasons in Birmingham
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Lovlina Borgohain
All it takes for an Indian athlete to attain stardom and start throwing tantrums is to win one medal. This is not the first time an elite Indian athlete has behaved in an irresponsible manner nor will this be the last.
Talking specifically about Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, the way she has shown arrogance and attitude in Birmingham since arrival is a poor reflection of her stature.
Here is a girl who made India proud at the Tokyo Olympics last year when she tore the form book to shreds and won a bronze medal. Stories written about Lovlina reflected her background, and how she had made huge sacrifices to reach the big stage. Coming from a modest background and then getting the right backing for her to pursue her passion, Lovlina has been supported all throughout in her pursuit of an Olympic medal.
Awards and accolades flowed for her after she returned from Tokyo. And when she went back to Assam, the people from her state gave her a rousing welcome. To top it off, she also landed a job with the Assam Police as an officer.
Lovlina and the coaching conflicts around her at CWG
Cut to the present, Lovlina has made news even before her bouts have begun. She complained about her personal coach not being given accreditation that would enable her to stay in the Games Village. Official sources say Lovlina pulled strings and her coach Sandhya Gurung then got her accreditation card, two days ago. That was at the cost of the team doctor’s accreditation being canceled!
The point is, at each multi-discipline Games, the NOCs (National Olympic Committee) get a certain number of cards based on the size of the athletes’ contingent. It is not possible for all athletes to get their personal coaches, physios, masseurs, and support staff accredited by the Indian Olympic Association. So, in Birmingham, what was needed from the athletes was cooperation. By winning an Olympic medal, Lovlina has become an icon, for sure.
Yet, what stands out in the present scenario is she is throwing her weight around. Maybe, she should be doing that inside the boxing ring. As if this was not enough, on Thursday night, at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, Lovlina and another boxer decided to leave the stadium midway through.
This has caused acute embarrassment to the Indian Olympic Association officials in Birmingham, with acting president Anil Khanna mincing no words in saying how athletes are getting involved in needless controversies.
It is well known attending the opening ceremony is not mandatory. The Indian women’s cricket decided to skip the event as they are playing a match against Australia at Edgbaston on Friday. Likewise, if Lovlina had a scheduled training session on Friday morning, she should have stayed back in the Village.
By walking out midway, she not only upset established protocols but also ensured it generated a needless controversy. The way an Olympics, Asian Games, or Commonwealth Games is conducted is highly professional. There are ways of attending official functions for which official vehicles are arranged.
Who is to be blamed in Lovlina’s coaching saga?
There was no way Lovlina was going to walk out and catch a cab back to the Village. By doing so, she has breached the disciplinary code as athletes are supposed to behave in a certain manner and not whimsically. If today, the chef de mission of the Indian contingent Rajesh Bhandari has slammed Lovlina, he has done the right thing.
There are security protocols in place. In addition, despite the pandemic abating and Britain freeing up Covid-19 protocols, athletes should not risk interacting with needless people. Taking a cab would have opened Lovlina to interacting with people who do not get themselves tested regularly for the virus.
In Tokyo, for example, the athletes had to give the authorities a minute-by-minute schedule of their daily activity, which was also tracked through a device they had to wear. It was very much like being tracked through GPS. When a few athletes came out of the Games Village in Tokyo, they were issued warnings.
An athlete also happens to be a sporting ambassador of the country. It is baffling that Lovlina, who was described as a simpleton has created more than a stir in the last few days. Surely, one expects mature behavior from an Olympic medallist. She is not the first athlete to behave with a sense of entitlement nor will she be the last. One hopes, the Indian Olympic Association officials in Birmingham will talk to athletes and explain what protocols are all about.
Also Read: Commonwealth Games 2022: Here are 5 Indian athletes to watch out for in Birmingham
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)