Only sportsmen should manage games: Sisodia

Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday stressed that sports personalities should come forward to manage sports bodies, which at present are being controlled and run by politicians.

“There will be no sport but only politics if politicians are in sports bodies. I request sports personalities to come forward and manage their various in a professional way,” said Sisodia, while  addressing a team of 107 schoolchildren selected to participate in an international sports competition in Adelaide, Australia. 

The statement is crucial at a time as the Delhi government has recently set up a two-member panel to investigate into the allegations of financial mismanagement in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). 

“I hope that students represent the country with full strength. I expect you to learn the sports culture in Australia and give us suggestions to improve sports in Delhi on return,” Sisodia told students. He said the government had enhanced the grant from Rs 1 lakh per student to Rs 2.5 lakh.

He also informed that the government had started consultation with sports persons and experts to set up a Sports University in Delhi, would offer which diploma, degree and certificate courses. “We want to give certificates to students who devote their years to sports,” he said, adding that: “If diploma and degree can be given students who devote their time in studying physics, chemistry, etc, why not on sports?”

He said students devoting their time to sports are devoid of jobs in the absence of degree and diploma, which the government is committed to address. The team of students will participate in sports competition in Australis from November 21 to 29.