Can
athletes in India or more importantly in Goa help change perspectives of people
on issues that bedevil society? Sportsmen are considered to be apolitical,
focused on excellence, and without an agenda outside their sport. But people
like the legendary Michael HJolding have shown the way.
Keenan
Almeida a professional Goan footballer who is famous around the state said it
was obvious, players could help and if they could they should help. He said “It
is important to help society in whatever way we can. I am concerned about
deforestation and I have repeatedly talked about it on my Instagram page. People
have reacted positively when I have expressed my concerns”. Speaking
about the virus, he said life had changed and people would have to make the
necessary adjustments to adapt to the changed circumstances. This he hoped
would be ready by people in the state”
Another
footballer Glen Martins said he was from Velsao where people were agitating
against double-tracking of the South Western railways. He said he was in that
area but was not involved. He, however, said that if he said anything, people
would listen to him because he was famous in the area. Sportsmen, he said
certainly had a larger role to play in society because people would watch them
continuously and they were idols for young people.
Brandon
Fernandes said he was very much aware of his role as a footballer in Goa. He
said it was important to listen to the message being given by the government.
On the role of sportspeople during the virus, he remarked that he always
highlighted these facts on social media because as he put it, his name meant
something in the state and people would listen to him. He said his message to
the people was to wear the mask and the gloves and it was important to fight
this together as a people.
For
table tennis player and now President of the Miramar Sports Club, Joel Andrade
said “ In testing times like this, athletes can lead the way, being role models
to their large fan following. And as we restore normalcy, sports will
play a big role in lifting our morale. Football and Cricket have already
started, the NBA will begin at the end of this month and I expect other
sporting activities to begin soon. Back home, paddlers and shuttlers have
started their routine practice sessions and will have to wait for a while
before they can play competitive events”.
One
of the brightest stars on the Indian sporting horizon is Yash Fadte, squash
champion. He said “Athletes have a very big fan following and they can make
their fans buy the products they endorse. In the same way, they can also change
attitudes in society. Personally, I am very big on animal welfare and I love
dogs. Every other day I see dogs killed on the highway; it is heart-breaking. I
always urge people to treat animals fairly and to take them to the hospital, if
they see them injured”.
Speaking
about racism, the much-travelled Yash said it was present everywhere and, in
some places, it was very subtle. He said in England in local tournaments, it
was very obvious if the player was English, the referee would support him
subtly. And in another case, if the foreigner was from a small country, he
would get the rough end of the stick. He said he had seen it and it had to
stop. He expressed the hope that as sportsmen it was their job to excel on the
court and to also voice their opinion on social issues if possible. His
brother Om Fadte, U 19 cricketer said he was cycling all over the place because
the training was not happening and it was obvious cycling had caught the fancy
of a lot of people. This, however, meant many were not using helmets and he was
spreading the word around that it could result in death if one cycled without a
helmet. He said, “I had three near-death experiences and my helmet saved
me.”
Another
player Darshan Misal who is an allrounder in the state Ranji Trophy team said
“We are role models and we have to be conscious of that. People watch us and
listen to us, of that there is no doubt. I am personally focussed on mental
health and am spreading the word around on the importance of mental health on
my online platform”.
Perhaps
Keenan Vaz spelled it out best when he said “Remember the successful sportsmen
is at that position because he has done well for himself and people respect
him. People will certainly listen to him and in Goa, players like Shadab Jakati
are respected so much and have weightage. People’s opinions can be swayed by
him or other sportsmen or women”.
These
are strange times and athletes can and should voice their opinion on matters
facing mankind. Their positions could help people come to a decision that could
take things forward.
