‘Disgusting’ Sports Minister Steals Limelight From Indian Athletes At Tokyo 2020, Blasted

After a delay of more than a year, the Tokyo Olympics was declared open by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito after a grand opening ceremony at the National Stadium. Billions of Indians were glued to their TV screens just to get a glimpse of the Indian contingent taking part in the Parade of Nations.

MC Mary Kom 🤝 🇮🇳 @manpreetpawar07#TeamIndia‘s flag bearers lead their contingent out at the #Tokyo2020 #OpeningCeremony #IND#BestOfTokyo | #UnitedByEmotion | #StrongerTogether | @MangteC pic.twitter.com/dTkdKlpsAr

— #Tokyo2020 for India (@Tokyo2020hi) July 23, 2021

However, they were left disappointed when the official broadcasters took off the limelight from Indian athletes by splitting the screen into two halves — with one half showing Indian contingent, while the other half focused on the newly-appointed Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who was watching the live broadcast from New Delhi.

#TEAMINDIA #Tokyo2020

130 crore Indians cheering for the Indian Olympics Contingent !

| @WeAreTeamIndia | pic.twitter.com/HEddr0YKWW

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 23, 2021

Due to increasing COVID-19 concerns, most of the Indian athletes opted out of the opening ceremony, with only a handful of them attending the gala ceremony at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.

So uncool that one waits for the Indian contingent to come out and then when our Olympians have their few seconds In front of us all, ⁦@SonyLIV⁩ decides to show us a close up of the I&B minister instead. Even our sports channels have gone all North Korean or what pic.twitter.com/6ZXP4In3TP

— Mihir Sharma (@mihirssharma) July 23, 2021

The move spoiled fans’ experience and left them fuming and they took to the micro-blogging site to express their frustration. They were angry especially because they hadn’t expected a private broadcaster to please the government authorities. The irony was that unlike the private broadcaster the government-owned DD Sports channel dedicated the whole screen to the Indian contingent.

#TeamIndia at the #Tokyo2020 #OpeningCeremony — uncut, unfiltered, uninterrupted – as it ought to be! #Olympics https://t.co/DiraaFvrZN

— Yash Jha (@jhayash) July 23, 2021

A country of over 130 crore people is still considered a minnow in the world of sports and surely it can’t be because of lack of talent. On a day when the entire focus should’ve been on the athletes, our Sports Minister, who took less than a month ago, succeeded in stealing all the limelight and this incident highlights everything that’s wrong with the country.

More than talent, India has always lacked a proper mechanism to discover promising athletes in the remote areas and villages. Most of the players who take up sport don’t make this choice because they want to win medals for the country but because they think it will help them land a government job.

Waited to get a glimpse of Indian troupe, only to be treated with sports Minister’s face. This is why we would never be a sporting nation. #TokyoOlympics2020 #Cheer4India

— Bastab K Parida (@ParidaBastab) July 23, 2021

As the Indian athletes walk in at #Tokyo2020 opening ceremony, Sony split the screen with Anurag Thakur occupying half of it. This explains why we are very far away from being called a proper sporting nation

— Sidney Kiran (@Gunnersyd) July 23, 2021

Just be happy Anurag Thakur wasn’t carrying the flag at the march-past. #OpeningCeremony

— Vishnu Prasad (@visheprasad) July 23, 2021

Officials should only be there to help and support the athelete, Not take all the limelight themselves. Split-screen of Anurag Thakur and Indian athletes at the Olympics is not done, We are far better than this Sony.

— Arjun (@LifeIsAnElation) July 23, 2021

Couldn’t even see the full contingent pic.twitter.com/6ydh934Th5

— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) July 23, 2021

Honestly though. Are you surprised with what you saw?

If you know, you know 😉#OpeningCeremony #Tokyo2020

— Suprita Das (@MissDasTweets) July 23, 2021

This was so irritating and annoying. Focus isn’t even on athletes here. What was the need of showing Anurag Thakur here, and reducing screen size of Indian athletes!

This is what is wrong with India! Not done #Olympics #Tokyo2020 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/kOcRq63WRw

— 𝙨𝙤𝙝𝙤𝙢 ४ (@AwaaraHoon) July 23, 2021

Anurag Thakur in half the screen, meanwhile Indian sports lovers… pic.twitter.com/hZ0JyZt8Xk

— Dumbocracy (@ItsDumbocracy) July 23, 2021

So @SonySportsIndia split the screen into two equal parts – one showing Mary Kom & Amanpreet lead the Indian contingent and one for ANURAG THAKUR SHOUTING INDIA INDIA.

I don’t blame Sony but what a farce. 🤦‍♂️#Tokyo2020

— Aryan Goel (@onegoel) July 23, 2021

What a terrible disappointment @SonyLIV

We could see contingent of every country except India because you showed Anurag Thakur cheering rather than the contingent marching. Even Mary Kom wasn’t clearly visible. @Tokyo2020hi please post the video separately.

— Sambit Nayak (@sambitnk) July 23, 2021

It would be easy to blame them but the harsh reality is that they don’t have any other choice because in our country players get access to the world-class facilities only when they start winning.

These are not the things that have kept India from becoming a global sporting powerhouse. Till the time we have this VIP culture in the country, India will never become a sporting nation and by the looks of it expecting anything better would be foolish .