Commonwealth games blues!!
FIFA 2010 has mesemerized me. It was immensely successful and was able to unite the world in praising South Africa for the wonderful show.
"The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be a resounding success because of the fervent passion, determination and collective will to succeed of all 45-million South Africans." This was the statement which was said by the Chairman of Fifa 2010. South Africa's infrastructure was on the right track 2 years before the Fifa 2010, and the work was going in a very methodical way. 70% of the football stadiums were already completed 2 years before the event, which finally resulted in the glory to South Africa!
Great things are not done in an impulse but in a series of small well planned things brought together. For great things to be done the entire society must be brought together, they must be united for a common purpose, they should be shown the output of the efforts well in advance, they should be made to own the entire proposition. This is what SA did, as a result of which not only the people of that great nation stand in pride but the entire world doesn't fall short in praising SA for the brilliance which it has crafted out in front of the world!
Comparing this to the Common Wealth Games scheduled to be held in October this year disappoints me to the core. The Delhi Govt has been trying to assure us that things would be completed well in time and the games would happen successfully. As a matter of fact I doubt that. When SA has invested years in hosting the Fifa event successfully, then what makes the Delhi Govt think that we can do the preparations in a matter of just an year?? And now that it has become a question of 'izzat' the Delhi Govt has suddenly become hysterical and digging the entire Delhi out and merely making cosmetic changes on the face of Delhi to fool the foreigners when they come here.
I am pretty sure that on a superficial level the games would happen somehow in Delhi, and by the grace of God we'll be able to save our face if we push to our limits now. But is that it?? According to me thats still a big failure. The Indians and specifically Delhiites still do not feel that sense of pride, they still do not have a feeling of 'owning' the event, they still are not looking forward to the games with a smile on their faces, the event has still not percolated and seeped in the skins of the citizens. In other words the required Euphoria is missing big time in the hearts of people. The Fifa was positioned as an event for the citizens of SA before the event for the world. From taxi drivers to the waiters at hotels were made to own the event. It was there event. They felt proud of it. They were willing to die for making it successful in their own capacities. (not literally) :-).
Our hearts are still dry. The excitement is not there. The Govt has kept the common man pretty away from the event. Moreover it has not even done its own task of preparations properly. We wish the event all success. We wish we are at least able to guard our respect in front of the foreigners.
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