New Delhi: Days after his controversial ‘raped woman’ comment stirred a huge controversy, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is considering dropping Bollywood actor Salman Khan as goodwill ambassador for the upcoming Rio Olympics.
According to sources in the IOA, the body has threatened to drop Khan as goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent if he doesn’t issue an immediate “public apology”.
The IOA’s joint secretary and India’s chef-de-mission for the Rio Games, Rakesh Gupta, has taken serious note of Khan’s comment and said that “his comments as goodwill ambassador would send [the] wrong message to all the sportspersons in the country”.
“Salman Khan should not have used this analogy to describe his shooting schedule. He should have given a different answer or cited some other example. This way he has hurt the image of Indian sports. This statement will have an adverse effect with the Rio Olympics fast approaching. He should immediately apologise for his remark,” Gupta told media.
According to sources, Khan’s name has already been dropped from the list of guests at the Indian contingent’s send-off ceremony in the third week of July.
Khan’s appointment as ambassador was not without controversy, with some in India, including prominent sportspersons, questioning why an actor — one with a number of serious court cases, including murder, to his name — was chosen for the role.
“It doesn’t make sense to appoint someone in this role,” said runner Milka Singh in April, when Khan’s appointment was announced. “If an ambassador is required, we have many great sportspersons, like Sachin Tendulkar, P.T. Usha, Ajitpal Singh, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore,” he added.
Khan made his comments three days ago, when in an interview, he said that he felt like a “raped woman” after completing the wrestling sequences of his upcoming Bollywood release, Sultan.
“While shooting during those six hours, there was so much of lifting and thrusting that it was unbelievable. If I was lifting a 120kg person and dropping him down, I had to do it 10 times. I did it 10 times from five different angles. So, six-and-half or seven hours. Either, I was picking him and throwing him or else, he was picking me up and throwing me. So it was like the most difficult thing. When I used to walk out of the ring, I used to feel actually like a raped woman walking out,” Khan said.
His father Salim Khan later contended that his son meant no wrong, but apologised on his behalf.
“Undoubtedly, what Salman said is wrong, the simile, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Nevertheless, I apologise on behalf of his family, his fans and his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all,” Salim tweeted.
Criticising Khan, the National Commission for Women (NCW) asked him to apologise within seven days. NCW Chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam said Khan may be issued a summons if he failed to comply.
The Maharashtra State Women Commission has summoned him on June 29.
“Salman Khan is a celebrity. People look up to him and he should have been more responsible,” chairperson of State Commission Vijaya Rahatkar told Gulf News.
