Clean Sports India, a movement for corruption-free sports in the country, today said that all the political parties should support Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's call for keeping politicians out of sports bodies and work on a consensus on the issue.
"Clean Sports India welcomes Rahul Gandhi's plea to keep politicians out of sports. We consider it is one of the milestones in starting political consensus to make 'space' for former sportspersons in sports administration in the long run. We hope all other political parties and leaders follow suit," CSI chief Ashwini Nachappa said in a release.
"We met Rahul Gandhi three times over last three years in connection with corruption in sports administrations and several related issues. Congress Party was cooperative and has taken some concrete actions in this regard," the release said.
Nachappa said the other main political party, the BJP, has not made progress on this front.
"We had called on the then BJP President Nitin Gadkari and requested him his party's help in cleansing up the sports systems. He promised to help reforms. However, BJP has not made any progress on this front," she said.
"We hope that BJP and all other national political parties take similar stand as Rahul Gandhi and Congress party to help the reform process of Indian sports federations. We also appeal to all political parties to bring consensus on the issue of passing sports law for the country to put reforms on a legal footing."
Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Krishna Poonia also agreed that politicians should not be involved in running sports bodies.
"Politicians do not know problems faced by sportspersons and so they should not head sports bodies. Only sportspersons can take care of fellow sportspersons," Poonia said.
"So many politicians have been heading sports bodies and we have seen how much our sports has been progressing. It's time for sportspersons to manage sports bodies. I whole heartedly support the plea of Rahul Gandhi. I hope he will ensure it's implemented," she said.
