Vijay Goel is the gift that keeps on giving.
India’s sports minister has been in the news more than most of the 118 Indian athletes who participated at Rio Olympics. And for all the wrong reasons.
Just to jog your memory, he first posted a ridiculous selfie with an exhausted Vikas Krishan, then wished Dipa Karmakar – but called her ‘Karmankar’ – and tweeted out Dutee Chand’s picture while wishing Srabani Nanda.
He was also pulled up by the organisers of Rio 2016 for letting unaccredited companions trying to enter accredited areas at venues and showing “aggressive and rude” behaviour.
Now that the Olympics is over, you would think Mr. Goel will give it a rest? Well, you thought wrong.
Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Goel told the reporters that the PM Narendra Modi will meet the *gold medallists* from Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik.
No, really. See for yourself.
He quickly issued a retraction, saying it was a mere slip of the tongue.
Usually, we would like to give the benefit of doubt in such cases but with Goel we know this is not an one-off.
And he did not stop there for the day.
Yes, Sunil Shetty. For encouragement and development for sports. No, we don’t know why either.
He has become the figurehead of the apathy of Indian officials towards our athletes.
Which is, y’know, like the exact opposite of what he’s expected to as the sports minister.
Maybe he just doesn’t want the job and he is dropping hints asking for a transfer? That’s the best explanation we could come up with.