Sachin accepts IOA’s invitation to become goodwill ambassador

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday accepted IOA’s invitation to become the country’s goodwill ambassador for the Rio Olympics alongside ace shooter Abhinav Bindra and Bollywood star Salman Khan after the controversial actor’s appointment created an uproar.

With Salman’s appointment drawing flak from different quarters, including Olympic bronze medal winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and former athlete Milkha Singh, who had said the honour should be given to top sportspersons, the Indian Olympic Association had approached Bindra, Tendulkar and celebrated music composer AR Rehman. Both Bindra and Tendulkar accepted the Indian Olympic Association’s invitation. “Sachin Tendulkar has accepted our request to become goodwill ambassador of Indian contingent at the Olympics. We have received the official communication from him accepting our request,”  said IOA Secretary General Rajiv Mehta .

“We are very happy to have an iconic sportsperson like Mr Tendulkar on board as goodwill ambassador. We are thankful to him. We hope his association and the association of other goodwill ambassadors will take Indian sport forward,” he added. Tendulkar on Tuesday wrote a letter to IOA President N Ramachandran and Mehta, confirming his support for the Rio-bound athletes and expressed willingness to meet the Indian contingent before it departs for Brazil. “It will be my pleasure to meet these world-class athletes before they leave for Rio to learn their experience and preparations. I am also happy to be part of any awareness campaign that can rally the country around our athletes and motivate them,” Tendulkar said.