An Olympic Day Run sans sportspersons

KOCHI: Think Olympics, and who would you imagine holding the centre stage? Athletes, did you say? Or coaches? Maybe, a few promising youngsters?The 'Olympic Day Run' organised by the Ernakulam District Olympic Association (EDOA) here on Thursday, however, was conspicuous by the absence of sporting icons.Instead, the function had Kerala High Court judge Justice A K Basheer flagging off the run from the Maharaja's College Stadium while Ernakulam District Sports Council president and DYFI leader V A Zakir Hussain administered the 'Olympic Day Pledge.' As the introductory speeches were on, the students lined up in front of the eminent 'sportspersons' were looking hither and thither to entertain themselves.Among others leading the event were Justice M Ramachandran, Hibi Eden MLA, Kochi Corporation Development Standing Committee chairman T J Vinod, CBSE Schools Management Association state president T P M Ibrahim Khan, state Tugof War Association president and Corporation councillor N Venugopal, former councillor V J Hyacinth, EDOA president C Mohandas and EDOA secretary Joshi Pallan."We had invited Mercy Kuttan and George Thomas but they did not come. They have gone to Thiruvananthapuram to participate in the function there," said an organising committee member. However, both George Thomas, former national badminton champion, and Mercy Kuttan, Olympian and Asian Games silver medallist, were very much in the city.Both admitted that they had received invitations to attend a meeting last week. It was not for the event proper, Mercy added.Owing to various reasons, the two Arjuna awardees could not attend the meeting. But that does not absolve the 'Olympic association' of its negligence in not having any sports personality on the dais. Former international athlete and coach of the Indian athletics team P R Purushothaman currently in charge of the synthetic track at the venue was reduced to a mere spectator, watching helplessly from the sidelines. Couldn't the organisers have arranged at least a talented junior to lead the show?"There were a few national level junior fencers and roller skaters among the students," said the official.Asked why they were not brought to the fore, he simply laughed it off. If anything signified the yearning for some dynamism, it was the enthusiasm among the students to shake hands with MLA Hibi Eden.As the young legislator walked up to each group from different schools prior to the flagging off, the students vied with each other to greet him.To his credit, the Ernakulam MLA completed the full distance of the run that concluded at Marine Drive while the other 'sportpersons' 'escaped' after the inauguration.How inspiring would it have been if one top sporting personality was leading the programme!