Andre Agassi has just added a convenient truth to an earlier,convenient lie. In an attempt to come out smelling of roses,he does far too much damage to those who look up to him,and other sportsmen,as role models. At the best of times its a flawed equation,this assumption that a fine sportsman is a fine person,but it exists and I fear Agassi may have given people reason to indulge in drugs. Then comes a tidal wave of euphoria that sweeps away every negative thought in my head. Ive never felt so alive,so hopeful,and Ive never felt such energy,he writes. It really doesnt matter what you say after that because you have already glorified the high. A depressed young man has probably just succumbed. Worse still,there was a lie and an attempt to pass the blame onto someone else. Finding people to goad you into taking a drug seems a fairly easy thing to do. Shane Warnes mother stepped up and now Agassis assistant! And the message is that when the going gets tough,its okay to lie,even to transfer the blame. In all fairness,it happens everywhere but sportsmen tend to be looked up to; because they are tough in tough situations people assume that is true in private life. Agassi had an extraordinary attitude to sport,a wonderful work ethic and he was actually quite a decent role model. Hence the disappointment. Sometimes it is better to let a mistake stay buried for the larger good. Agassi probably stopped,or maybe he didnt,well never know now. But not everyone can stop. We know what happens with athletes and weightlifters and the story of cycling is,sadly,also one of syringes and death. But a young man,or woman,looking ahead to the next race or the season or a couple of years ahead doesnt believe it can happen to him or her. And as performances improve,the grip of the drug tightens. And so,while there are many sportsmen to admire,you tend to fall in love with sport,rather than with sportsmen,the more you follow it,. There are only as many people to admire and to despise in sport as there are among lawyers,accountants and stockbrokers. And it is not difficult to see why. Sport is aspirational,performers on the field are feted,riches arrive at their doorstep along with other attractions and it is not difficult to yield. At most times,sport is a noble contest but it is too much to expect all its practitioners to embodify similar virtues. This is not to say there arent some fine young men and women out there. If anything,we need to applaud them even more because they have withstood propositions of all kinds and not wavered. There were many in crickets dark era at the turn of the century who chose the nobler path to affluence. I have long been a huge admirer of Agassi on court but I do hope people do not rally to his support; like with the pathetic attempt to protect Roman Polanski. The more we pardon offenders,either through the law or through public affection,the easier we make it for someone else to cross the line. And here in India we need to take a tough stance too. Our weightlifters are now a joke around the world as indeed are the officials who looked the other way in spite of fairly obvious proof. If the game isnt strong those that play it need not be strong and you can see that association at work in the build up to the Commonwealth Games. Sadly,we need to create panic to get ourselves going. So whether we have a year to stage the Games,or four,it doesnt really matter because we will do the work in the same time. If there is no commitment in building stadiums or running organisations,can we expect any commitment in producing athletes? Yes,somehow the Games will happen,just as somehow we will send a contingent to the Olympics. But to seek excellence we need to look elsewhere. Yes,Dhoni produced a really classy century,Ishant Sharma found where he had misplaced his rhythm and pace but Agassi spoilt the week.
