Seeking IOC views to resurrect Indian sports: Zafar Iqbal

Former Indian hockey captain Zafar Iqbal said the country's prominent athletes would write to the International Olympic Committee seeking its help for drawing up a blueprint for resurrecting sports here.

Former Indian hockey captain Zafar Iqbal said the country's prominent athletes would write to the International Olympic Committee seeking its help for drawing up a blueprint for resurrecting sports here.

Iqbal, who was here as the Chief Guest at the prize giving ceremony of the North Zone Inter University Cricket Tournament, said that the entire sports community in India was deeply saddened by the recent events leading to the Indian Olympic Association being suspended from the IOC.

"We are seeking the views of the international committee for drawing up a roadmap to enable sportspersons to play a major role in different sporting bodies in the country," Iqbal said.

He said the only way out was to clean up different sports bodies by giving a voice to former sportspersons.

Earlier, speaking at the prize giving ceremony of the tournament, Iqbal said universities were important for discovering sports talent.

"We cannot afford to neglect sportspersons at the university level if we wish to become a major player on the international scene of sports," he said.

Iqbal called upon universities in the country to draw an action plan for encouraging sportspersons at the college level to help India emerge as a major sports power in the world.