Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Power politics

The manner of disposal of complaint against Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh for alleged racist remarks to Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds has incensed a lot of Australians. The main grouse being the way Indian cricket board (BCCI) was able to arm twist the world governing body ICC and Cricket Australia (CA) into following its lead.
With some explicit and some implicit threats of withdrawing from the tour from BCCI and its resultant financial loss to CA and ICC and not to forget Television companies, from the very outset, it was not tough to figure out that the final decision would be as per the liking of Indian team and cricket board. So I wonder why the comments now. Maybe the reality dawns on some people later than others.

I tend to sympathize and agree with the Australians who feel that the financial clout of BCCI in cricket led to the unwanted semi-withdrawal of complaint from the Australian cricket team.
But isn't it the norm in every society that the rich and powerful always have there way? Whatever space the weak get is not taken but given by the strong.
Few examples:
This article on how the rich nations which contribute most to the UN kitty are arm twisting the UN to spend in the manner in which they tell it to.
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in WWII. Who says that the US is a bad country?

Australians, welcome to the real world!!

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