As the grand spectacle of the Paris Olympics kicks off on Friday, we turn back the pages. India has only two individual gold medals at the games. As Neeraj Chopra defends his Olympic gold in javelin, sixteen years earlier Abhinav Bindra made history by winning gold in the 10-meter air rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in a career that spanned 22 years.
This year the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board has chosen to honour Bindra with the Olympic Order, the highest distinction presented by the Olympic organisation. This accolade will be presented to Bindra on Aug. 10, during a special event held in conjunction with the Olympic Games in Paris, just before the 142nd IOC Session.
Bindra who gives back to sport through his foundation is a torch runner at the Paris Games and joins Gulf News’ Jyotsna Mohan for an exclusive interview on India at Paris and India’s quest to host the Olympics.
It is that special time. Do you feel nostalgic?
No, I don’t feel nostalgic at all because my playing days are long over, but I am definitely very excited. I think Paris 2024 is going to be spectacular. After Covid, we did have Tokyo, but they were kind of under special circumstances. The games hold a lot of promise because these are the first games which are under the new reform process of the Olympic movement which is Agenda 2020 — urbanisation of the Olympic Games, youthfulness of the Games and new sports coming in. But more than anything it is the first time the world is truly going to be coming together after a long period. We live in uncertain times, we live in a world which is volatile, and the Olympic Games will I think leave a very powerful message to the world that it is possible to compete fiercely yet peacefully.
You are also a torch bearer at the games how do you feel about that?
I am looking forward to it. It is a deep honour, a great honour. It is the first time I will be doing it on a foreign land, so it is special. The lighting of the flame starts in ancient Olympia, and I had the pleasure of being there earlier this year and saw first-hand where everything originated so it is a very great honour.
A billion-plus Indians will now shift their focus from cricket and all the expectations for the coming days will be on the Indian contingent. What advice would you give the athletes?
It is going to be the time of their life. This is what they work for, this is what they live for and I think it is time to just find reassurance in the hard work that they have put in through the many years preceding this moment and find pride in that.
They have to try and stay in the moment and outcomes will be a by-product of that because I think one of the greatest challenges of competing at the Olympic Games is that either we are looking at what may lie ahead, or we are living in the past and we forget to live in the present. I can also tell you it is difficult advice to Implement. We all know what outcomes they want; they all know themselves what outcomes they are after, and they certainly don’t need a reminder at this stage.
The heaviest shoulders of course will be that of Neeraj Chopra. You said somewhere that in sports, yesterday never counts. What would you tell him given that you have also been there defending a medal?
I think no one truly defends a medal, these are things that are nicely written. Nobody gets a head start for winning in previous Olympics, he doesn’t get an extra five metres just because he is the defending champion. Everybody on a particular day starts equally and I think it is that understanding of sport which will actually help him release a little bit of pressure which comes with these extra expectations of being the defending champion.
Neeraj Chopra of Paris will be different from Neeraj Chopra of Tokyo, he is four years older, the world around him has changed, his body has changed, and his mind has changed so just to also have the self-awareness to change as it is the only constant of life and to keep adapting. I went to five Olympic Games, and I can tell you very clearly that in each one I was a different person, my motivations were different, my strategies were different, and I was different.
You have spoken about how athletes should be treated as humans and not robots. Are conversations on mental health gaining momentum in the world of sport?
I have been a part of the International Olympic Committee’s mental health initiative since its inception in 2018. There is a big misconception that athletes are immune to any kind of mental health issues or disorders because we are supposed to be mentally strong. But before being an athlete we are human beings and that is sometimes forgotten.
We are as vulnerable as anybody; we have to deal with constant success and constant failure. Transitioning out of sport is always very difficult and an athlete’s journey has many red flags which could potentially lead to mental health issues. I think the pandemic destigmatised mental health to a great degree in society because naysayers of mental health issues suddenly had mental health issues themselves.
There is a lot of talk about India looking to host the Olympics. What are your thoughts on that?
It starts with a vision which must transcend the games itself and act as a catalyst for further development. The Olympics is not just a sporting event and is much more than just hosting the games which have to be a catalyst of change, how can we make our nation healthier, more inclusive, and help the economy and the environment. I think it has to be a larger vision that we have to put together and answer the question, why do we want to host?
The Olympic Games would be a fantastic moment for the country to showcase itself on a global stage, a coming of age of sport. We have to create a plan which creates a legacy not just before and during the games but also one which ensures the legacy much after the game. If we can do that, we stand a good chance.
