New Delhi: Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore asked Friday the Indian athletes and officials, who are part of the Asian Games contingent, to behave responsibly on and off the field during the mega sporting event starting next week in Indonesia.
India is sending a 800-plus contingent, including 572 athletes, to the Asian Games, to be held August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang.
“It is a matter of great pride you (athletes) are representing the country in the Games and you have earned this privilege. When you take part in the Games and when you stay in the Games Village, you will lose your individual identity and your identity there is just one name that is ‘India’,” Rathore said at the send-off ceremony here.
As athletes and officials, the only identity that you will have in the Games Village is ‘Indian’. So you have to act responsibly on and off the field
“It is a big responsibility for you. Whatever you do on the field and off the field, please remember one thing that you are representing a billion-strong nation. You have to act with responsibility. Whether it is the athletes or officials, everybody should remember this at all times,” the Minister added.
IOA president Narinder Batra, secretary-general Rajeev Mehta and Indian contingent’s Chef de Mission Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan were present at the ceremony.
Rathore said he hoped India would win more medals than the previous edition but urged the participating athletes not to think too much about the results.
“You have been preparing for years now and must be having dreams (to win medals). I would advise you to remain confident that those thousands of hours of your training and hard work will help you. Please don’t worry about the results too much and you should remain confident of your abilities. The results will come running after you,” stated the man who had won a shooting silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics.