Commonwealth Games: This time Pakistani controversy strikes the Games
The 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games have been hit with a lot of issues and controversies lately, and there was even talk that they might not take place at all. Everyone pulled together, and the event was finally opened yesterday during a very grand and beautiful ceremony. But there was an issue for the Pakistani contingent. The announced flag bearer was not the one who actually carried the flag in front of the team. This was a minor issue, but it showed a glaring problem in the Pakistani camp.
During a large scale athletic event like the Olympic Games or the Commonwealth Games, every team that enters the stadium, as part of the opening ceremony, has a flag bearer. The purpose of this one athlete is to carry the flag of the nation the team represents and hold it high and proud. It is a matter of great honour and pride for the person chosen to lift the flag, and a lot of people usually want to be given the honour of doing so.
Flag bearers have been around since long, and could be found in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. It has been a part of the Olympic Games for as long as anyone can remember. A flag bearer or a standard-bearer, as it is also known, is a great honour for the one holding the flag. A standard-bearer is slightly different because unlike a flag bearer who only carries a flag, a standard-bearer can carry an insignia, emblem or any other symbol that represents a country or an institution.
Using the practice during large athletic competitions is a way to introduce a country to the audience members and lead the team into the stadium. Just representing your country at an event like the Commonwealth Games is a big deal but also being the flag bearer is all that special. At this year’s Delhi Games, there was some controversy surrounding the Pakistani flag bearer.
Initially it was supposed to be gold medal winning Pakistani weightlifter Shuja ud Din Malik, and his name was even announced as the bearer and flashed across the numerous screens in the stadium. At the last minute reports came in that the Chief of Mission, Dr Mohammad Ali Shah, yanked the flag from the hands of Malik and threatened to send the whole contingent home, if anyone complained. Then Dr. Mohammad led the team out holding the flag.
It was a bit of a discipline issue, but it showed the greed of the Chief of the team and reflected his poor decision making. If Dr. Mohammad was going to lead the team and be the flag bearer anyway, why not just plan it such that his name would have been announced instead of the weightlifter’s. It looked as if the leader of the team forgot his manners, and decided to take all the glory for himself.
Besides this little bit of controversy, the opening ceremony went off without a hitch and the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles was on hand to officially open the ceremony. He alongside the president of India, Pratibha Patil, declared the Games open to much cheering and fanfare. The Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh was also on hand for the ceremony.
The surprising part of the whole opening event was the way in which India’s government and Games organising committee were able to speed up the preparations and get the venues and athlete’s villages ready in time. There was massive speculation that the Games for this year be postponed or cancelled altogether, but they somehow managed to pull through and give a stunning opening ceremony.
It looks as if the controversy-ridden Commonwealth Games for 2010 will be just fine after all the speculations and pessimism. The Commonwealth Games Federation president, athletes and the Olympic Games President, Jacques Rogge, were all stunned at the speed and manner of the work being completed on time. This amazing feat has even brought India back into the running for hosting the Olympic Games.
With the opening ceremony of the Games done and dusted, we can all look forward to a great athletic competition featuring some of the world’s greatest athletes. Hopefully, the Pakistani flag bearing controversy will be the last that sports fan hear of any scandals that may tarnish the image of the Games for a long time to come.
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