Sania Mirza, who received a wildcard for the Olympics on Tuesday, hit out at the Indian tennis system, saying in a release that it was “humiliating” to be used as a “bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis”.
“While I feel honoured and privileged to have been chosen to partner Leander Paes, the manner and timing of the announcement wreaks (sic) of male chauvinism where a two-time Grand Slam champion, who has been India's number one women's tennis player for almost a decade in singles and doubles is offered in compensation to partner one of the feuding champions purely in order to lure him into accepting to play with a men's player he does not wish to play with!
“This kind of blatant humiliation of Indian womanhood needs to be condemned even if it comes from the highest controlling body of tennis in our country,” she said.
“I believe I can expect a little more respect from the national tennis federation than what has been accorded to me even if they did not think it necessary to send me a simple congratulatory message after I had won my second Grand Slam title three weeks ago.
“What is even more shocking is the manner in which facts have been misrepresented to the public at large to paint a totally wrong picture in an attempt to justify the breaking up of a team that won a second Grand Slam title only days earlier.
“Leander and I are not the only combination likely to get a direct entry into the mixed doubles draw at the Olympics, as has been wrongly portrayed. If that was true, a highly intelligent man like Dr. Paes would not have felt insecure enough to ask for my written declaration to partner Leander.
“To Leander, I would like to point out that Vishnu Vardhan is an extremely talented player, who I had the privilege of partnering. We went on to win a silver medal for India at the 2010 Asian Games at Guangzhou, when all the three male stalwarts of Indian tennis opted to stay away.
“Mahesh Bhupathi has firmly stood by his commitment to play together with his partner, Rohan Bopanna as he genuinely believed it was good for India. However, in the process, he sacrificed the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal. Each person has his or her own priorities and I would like to believe that Mahesh made his choice in the best interests of the country.”
Keywords: Indian Tennis team, AITA, Leander Paes, 2012 London Olympics, Sania Mirza
Be it in politics or in sport, the past week has been rather
bizarre.First, the Congress couldn’t quickly make up its mind on the
Presidential candidate, then the NDA is only having one meeting after
another... The AITA has been as indecisive.
Few excellent points made here. I would extend this and say this is a
bitter reality of how we treat women in our society. AITA has just been
a scapegoat.The whole of society needs to look inside and introspect.
She has hit the nail.
This has been disappointing the way all the Tennis players have behaved displaying their ego. On one hand when we know what would be the best doubles combination, then Bhupati shouldn't have thought otherwise. Paes had an upper hand, but shouldn't have under-estimated Vishnu; and now Sania ended up being considered as a bait and praising Bhupati as an individual over the selection committee.
We would have loved to see Paes-Bhupati; but now it's like they want to make personal promises and play on their own without any governing body... Sad that the players are fighting among themselves and don't even have such camraderie to adjust among the best for the sake of India.
Some one rightly says that we Indians fight among ourselves rather than fighting others...
Very well said Sania and very mature and to the point response. If you don’t say, no one will know what is in your mind. I really respect you for airing these publicly. The male tennis players needs to sit up and listen to this and learn to put country above personal interests. You are a real hero of Indian Tennis. Good on you, work hard and bring a medal for your beloved country.
I understand how humiliating it is to any sportsperson who are subject to such treatment. But this is the situation in India, today. Individuals, who has achieved some position in their respective fields automatically become eligible to be above rules and regulations. Individuals are given more importance than rules, regulations and even Country. We don't have any long term objectives to cultivate mastery and develop young talents. Those who have achieved,have by and large come on their own with little or no help from sports bodies. It was a shame to see on TV how parents of Leander and Mahesh vouch for their sons. Have we come to such a pass that only Individuals decide to play or not to play and not the sports body. How ineffective is our Sportsbody .This is because sports body have not decided any thing on MERIT. There is no wonder why we could not achieve anything with i Billion population. All institutions should be managed professionally and become accountable. Else be sacked.
Sania is absolutely spot on this time.. She deserves to get those
answers from AITA..
Sania is right. These are high achieving performers who have given a lot and brought credit to the country. They cannot be treated like animals in a circus.
Oh please! She isn't bait at all. She's a terrible tennis player. This fracas among Indian tennis players and the selectors is so totally embarrassing. They are all, without exception under-performers and yet are so full of themselves, and their egos so large that they are making fools of themselves. India should not even bother to send a tennis team to the Olympics. Its a total waste of time and money. They all need to be put in their place.
Well said Sania. This sort of feudal mentality must be condemned.
The sanest remark made by a tennis player yet in this fiasco.
Sania has taken a principled stand and has served an ace! She needs to
be commended for that. The mess-ups related to the team compositions has
been olympian in proportions.
The arrogant attitudes of Babudom, which they have inherited from the bad old colonial days, is imitated by anybody sitting behind a desk, even if it only that of the AITA. Every Hyderabadi feels insulted by the way Sania has been treated.
This is really sad to see. Instead of playing together for Nation, all
this players are putting themselves ahead of Nation. And the way all
this players are going against Leander Paes, it is really sad to see how
India's best tennis player and a legend is treated by this so called
champions. It would be really good if Leander withdraws his name from
Olympics instead of being associated with this arrogant and selfish
players like Sania Mirza, Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna.
i think sania should stop favouring mahesh as AITA had finalised mahesh and leander for the olympics as the best doubles pair. so what mahesh is doing is not in nation interst, it simply shows his ego.no sportsmanship from such a high level sportsman
I do not agree totally with Sania why should she not feel proud that people are
proud to partner and play. If there are two woman players who are likely to bring laurels to the country and they are fighting like Bhoopathy and paes, If Sania was a man who is number one probably the federation would have done the same.
Poor girl. For once, she has our sympathy. Leander seems clearly the spoiler. What does he get by making so many people unhappy? At this rate, he may not win!
Leander should say 'quits' and allow the rest to play and see what
happens. After all, he has payed in the olympics earlier and has a
medal too. Let the others try and get a medal, since they think ,
they can.
Yes, though playing with Paes is not a bad option, Sania has been used as a door mat by the Tennis Association.
Sania has hit the nail on the head while blasting the AITA for acting in a ham handed manner in the selection of the country's Olympic teams. As a woman player who has won 500 titles on the circuit she definitely should be treated at par with the best in the country. As Vijay Amritraj pointed out during a Q & A session during Wimbeldon yesterday the federation had grossly erred in announcing the teams at the end of the last calendar year to avoid any misunderstanding and also give ample time for the doubles teams to prepare for the Olympics with the selected partners. It is baffling to hear that the federation did not even send a congratulatory message to Sania on winning the Mixed doubles French Open with Mahesh. The lapse is inexcusable. When the President downwards compete with each other in lauding the winners in International Sports the federation sleeping over such singular achievement is sheer neglect for which the secretary should be sacked forthwith. Hope there is no politics!
The Indian tennis players really need to stop fighting it out in the
media and making a mockery of themselves. Winning a medal for the
country could perhaps supersede satisfying personal egos. I think the
former will earn the players respect.
Sania is correct and appreciate speaking up !
Best wishes
SS
Sania is right. These sports bureaucrats seem to have no sensitivity to the feelings of athletes who take pride in their work ethic and bring honour to the country.I am glad Sania spoke up.
Bravo Sania. It requires guts to take on the sports officaldom in India. The various federations are populated by Babus whose interest in the sport is overshadowed by their own advancement in the sports hierarchy. I am gald that you hit the nail on the head and hard. I wish a statement like this from Paes, Bhupathi and Bopanna will do a world of good to the young players.
Keep up the good work.
Well in that case then start winning some titles. You are 25 and still to get a Wimbledon championship under your belt. How old were Steffi, Anna, Maria, Serena and Venus when they won their first Wimbledon ?You brought this upon your self.
I fully agree with Sania Mirza that she has been made a scapegoat to please somebody else. We have to recall how Ramanathan Krishnan was treated as Gentlelman of Tennis and Ambassador of Indian Tennis.
Nice that you have stood up for your dignity, Sania! Insensitive, unprofessional, graceless officials are a major part of the rot in Indian Sports. Shame on them for not respecting a woman, especially an accomplished woman like you.
They don't have a fraction of your talent. Yet they occupy seats of power that allow them to take arbitrary, tactless decisions that affect your dignity.
I agree with everything Sania says here. Shame on the Tennis Federation
and kudos to Sania for hitting out at this old boys' club.
Sania is absolutely right. She has called spade a spade. Really, why are Leander and Mahesh bickering? Don't they have a minimum sense? And to add to tamasha, parents start commenting on live TV as if this is some high school parents' meet.
This should be really an eye opener for all players - your commitment is for your country, nothing else. Please grow up and do us a favor by not washing your dirty linen in public.
I concur with your anguish, Ms. Mirza. You have been representing the
country for the last decade and you should not have been used as a
pawn. It is very shameful to treat a woman athlete in this manner.
Women should be given equal respect and credibility in every aspect of
the Indian National Fabric. If not, there is no point of giving
harangues of uplifting of Country! And, anyhow, I wish you all the good luck at the Olympics!!
Good on you Sania. Understand and appreciate your sentiments
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