Olympics ambassador row: Upset Milkha says sportspersons are better ambassadors, slams IOA

As the IOA faced backlash from the sporting fraternity for appointing actor Salman Khan as the ambassador for the upcoming Rio Olympics, Singh said that the sportsperson themselves were eligible to take on the role.

While Salman received backing from his fraternity, grappler and Olympics Bronze medal winner Yogeswar Dutta slammed the appointment.

"Can anyone tell me what is the work of an ambassador. Why are you trying to make people of India crazy," Dutt had tweeted on Sunday.

"Sports icons like PT Usha and Milkha Singh have worked hard for the nation during difficult times. But what has this ambassador  done in the field of sports," another tweet read.

Echoing Dutt's sentiment, Singh too questioned Khan's appointment as the ambassador.

He was quoted by Mumbai Mirror as saying, " am of the view that our sportspersons; be those from shooting, athletics, volleyball or other sports, they are the real ambassadors of India who would represent the country in the Olympics. Still, if we had to pick an ambassador, it could have been from the sporting arena."

"India has produced so many sportspersons who have given their sweat and blood for the country like PT Usha, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Ajit Pal and so many others. One of these could have been made a goodwill ambassador. What was the need to import a person from Bollywood? the Asian Games gold medalist asked.

Singh, who slammed the IOA, urged the government to intervene in the matter but said that he holds nothing against the actor.

"I want to make it clear that I am not against Salman Khan, but the decision of the IOA is wrong and the government should intervene in the matter. This is for the first time I am seeing a Bollywood hero being made goodwill ambassador for Olympics. I want to ask has Bollywood ever made any sportsperson an ambassador for any of their mega event? he said.

Image: Avishek Mitra/IBNS file photo.