‘In celebrating RCB, it’s appalling how government has played to gallery’

In a state steeped in sporting legacy, few milestones have been celebrated like Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden title triumph in the Indian Premier League. It’s unlikely to be forgotten in a hurry either, given the tragedy that unfolded ahead of what should have been a celebration at M Chinnaswamy Stadium Wednesday evening.Amidst the triumph in Ahmedabad and the disaster that followed in Bengaluru, an aspect that has not gone unnoticed by sportspersons is the role of the state govt. Led by the chief minister himself, cabinet members, elected representatives and brass of the state machinery fawned over RCB’s players — Virat Kohli especially — at a specially arranged felicitation function at Vidhana Soudha.Where was this enthusiasm, sportspersons ask, when teams and athletes brought international laurels to the state in the past? The IPL, they point out, is only a domestic tournament. “When was the last time you saw a deputy chief minister of Karnataka carrying a private team’s flag and going to the airport to welcome them?” asked a former Indian cricketer who did not want to be named for obvious reasons. “Have any of them posted goodluck messages or donned team colours before a major event? If that was not enough, the entire state machinery turned up on the steps of Vidhana Soudha to greet and fete RCB’s players.

It’s appalling how the govt has played to the gallery.”They say the govt’s largesse to RCB is a luxury that has not been accorded to champions in other tournaments. And the sentiment has remained the same across parties and with successive govts. “Even when we won the Ranji Trophy a few years ago, we had to wait for days to get an appointment with the CM. It was disappointing because Ranji Trophy is considered the pinnacle of domestic cricket,” said another former cricketer.Olympians and international athletes of other disciplines echoed similar sentiments. “For us from other sports who have excelled, we must make repeated requests to the CM’s office to grant us an audience. When that happens, it is usually hurried affair at his home-office or in his chamber at Vidhana Soudha. It’s seen more as a photoop,” said a hockey Olympian.A member of the chess community recalled how cash strapped Karnataka chess grandmaster MS Thejkumar was given a purse of Rs 10 lakh in 2019 — two years after he was promised the reward.

This, when they wasted no time in handing badminton ace PV Sindhu a Rs 5 lakh cheque days after she won the women’s singles World Badminton Championship title.In 2023, then CM Basavaraj Bommai skipped a felicitation function organised for the state football team when they won the Santosh Trophy after 54 years. A week later, he made players wait outside his house for over 90 minutes before posing for pictures. “We are happy that RCB finally won the cup and are heartbroken with the tragedy that followed, but the callous attitude of those at the helm continue to make us wonder: Are we really valued?” said an international star.

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