Standing on the Olympic Podium

The whole world has been drawn into the web of the five rings. The celebration of life, the Olympics, will captivate human society like a magnet for a fortnight. For the third time in a hundred years, Paris is hosting the lively event of youthful and spirited worshipers of humanity and philosophy. The Olympics are a grand affair, and their organization is unparalleled. When the eighth modern Olympics were held in Paris in 1924, the emotions and heartbeat of the event were unique. It was the last Olympics with the modern Olympics' founder, the humanist, educator, and philosopher, French citizen Baron Pierre de Coubertin, as the IOC President. The French organizing committee and the IOC delivered a fair and beautiful Olympics with dedication and sincerity, realizing Coubertin's dream.

Now, the 33rd modern Olympic Games are being held in Paris. The entire world is present in Paris, fulfilling Coubertin's dream. The universal appeal of the Olympics is incredibly strong. Representatives of various races and religious groups have come to Paris with specific dreams and goals for the world's largest sports fair. There is no discrimination here. Everyone in Paris will give and receive, mingle, and unite. No one will return empty-handed. The 29th modern Olympics were held in Beijing, China, in 2008. I had the opportunity to spend a few memorable days in the competition arena of the Beijing Olympics at the invitation of the China Sports Writers' Union. It was a rare and always memorable experience. At that time, I was the Senior Vice President of the Asian Sports Press Union (now AIPS Asia).

After getting off the plane and completing the airport formalities, I saw a smiling young girl holding a placard with my name written on it at the 'G' gate. As soon as I said I was that person, she shook hands with me and said her name was Zhang Ling. She would be my liaison during my stay in Beijing. She then laughed and said that even though she couldn't speak English well, she understood it, so there would be no problem. She put me in a car and said that the President of the Asian Sports Press Union, Park Kae Chun, and his interpreter, Ang, had arrived from South Korea on an earlier flight. Within two hours of freshening up at the hotel, they would take us to the press center, where the President and executive members of the China Sports Writers' Association would be waiting for us.

On the way to the hotel, Zhang Ling gave me a folder and said it would be useful. I saw that after the 15th modern Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, in 1952, China had been absent from the Olympics for 32 years. During this time, they had set specific goals for the development of sports in the country. China returned to the Olympics at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the United States. I remembered that athlete Saidur Rahman Dawn had first participated in the Olympics from Bangladesh in this event. He not only represented the country but also carried the nation's dreams. After three decades, the People's Republic of China had returned to the Olympics prepared and with dominance, winning 15 gold, 8 silver, and 9 bronze medals, a total of 32 medals.

China ranked fourth in the medal tally of the top ten countries determined by the International Olympic Committee. Sixteen years later, at the Sydney Olympics in Australia, China ranked third behind the United States and Russia, winning 28 gold, 16 silver, and 14 bronze medals, a total of 58 medals. Four years later, at the 2004 Athens Olympics in Greece, China overtook Russia to rank second behind the United States, winning 32 gold, 17 silver, and 14 bronze medals, a total of 63 medals. At a media briefing for specially invited guests at the media center, the spokesperson of the China Olympic Organizing Committee and the China Sports Press Union emphasized that the Beijing Olympics would showcase something never seen before in the history of the modern Olympics.

He also mentioned that the world sports community would see Asia progressing continuously. This time, their goal was to rank first. They had worked hard for this goal, and the sports world would see how well they had done. The opening ceremony at the 'Bird's Nest' stadium was spectacular. The architecture, construction style, Chinese culture, and modern technology not only captivated the mind but also provided a new experience. The four-hour-long opening ceremony of the 29th Beijing Olympics, attended by representatives from 205 countries and thousands of spectators, will always remain vivid in memory. The guests around me kept saying, "What has China shown? Truly unprecedented."

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, athletes from Bangladesh included Mohammad Abu Abdullah, Nazmul Nahar Beauty, swimmers Rubel Rana and Dolly Akter, shooter Imam Hossain, and Sharmin Akter. Swimmer Rubel Rana carried the Bangladeshi flag in the march past. All participants were eliminated in the preliminary rounds and first heats. For athletes and players, the dream is to earn the honor of being an Olympian. However, the country's achievement was zero. Winning an Olympic medal is closely tied to the country's image. Thanks to special privileges, I had the opportunity to witness competitions at various venues throughout the day. The honor of winning an Olympic medal is incomparable. Without seeing it firsthand, it is difficult to comprehend.

The Olympic grounds had the highest number of spectators at athletics and swimming events. The emotional experience and celebration of Usain Bolt's gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters sprints and the 4x100 meter relay for Jamaica are unforgettable. Bolt's action in the athletics arena is still etched in my memory. The emotions surrounding the Olympic victory podium are incredibly intense, and without seeing it firsthand, it is hard to understand. Why do we spend millions of dollars year after year to create athletes? Being present at the Olympic grounds helps to understand this. At the shooting range, I sat next to Indian sports columnist Deepak Deshpande and watched Abhinav Bindra win gold in the 10-meter air rifle event. Abhinav Bindra was the first athlete from independent India to win an individual Olympic gold medal. The moment Bindra won the gold medal, the entire 1.3 billion people of India were awakened.

In the Commonwealth Games, Bangladesh's Asif Hossain Khan won gold in this event, while Bindra won silver. Asif has faded from the larger sports arena, while Bindra, by winning gold, not only honored India but also himself. Being present at the Olympic grounds and witnessing athletes' extraordinary performances made me feel that we should run faster, rise higher, and show more strength. To enhance the honor and image of our motherland and for the progress of humanity, we must overcome insurmountable obstacles. This Olympic is not for us. We participate in the Olympics out of mercy, getting eliminated in the preliminary rounds and first heats. The prestigious title of 'Olympian' remains for life, but it brings no benefit to the motherland.

Our desire is always alive, but we are defeated in taking the necessary initiatives to fulfill that desire and aspiration. We are significantly lagging behind. Bangladesh, one of the countries with the highest population, gained independence five decades ago. Yet, no athlete from this country has had the experience of reaching even the initial stages, let alone the victory podium of the Olympics. We always say we want to win Olympic medals and that we will prepare in advance. The policymakers of the country always say that everything necessary will be done to win medals at the Olympics. These words have remained mere words. No attempts have been made to realize them through initiatives. The Olympic podium is not a candy that can be achieved with a few days of preparation.

There are no shortcuts to achieving the qualification to stand on the Olympic victory podium. Climbing the Olympic podium is a big project wrapped in thoughtful planning. Implementing this project requires commitment, willpower, patriotism, and substantial financial support with the consent of those who govern the country. In a country like ours, implementing the project to climb the Olympic victory podium is impossible without 100% financial support from the government. The complete responsibility for implementing this project lies with the Ministry of Sports and the organizers of the national sports federations. From the beginning, the Ministry of Sports and the sports federations must complete the necessary tasks in coordination.

The 'Olympic Association' will provide all kinds of assistance if needed. To implement an eight-year project targeting the Olympics, an estimated budget needs to be approved, and then various other tasks must be completed. The Ministry of Sports and the organizers of the sports federations are entirely responsible for this. When creating an eight-year action plan targeting the Olympics, consideration must be given to which individual sports our athletes and players have the most potential. This matter will be determined by the Ministry of Sports, sports federation experts. The athletes' age is also an essential factor in this case. Under the project, no more than 25 male and female players and athletes should be selected for all sports. The age of the players and athletes should be divided into three categories during selection.

Over eight years, the project will include national and foreign coaches, short and long-term advanced training abroad, regular monthly allowances for the families of athletes and players, monthly pocket money and health expenses for athletes, and other benefits. Additionally, accommodation and food expenses during the eight years under the project, construction of some new sports infrastructure, and necessary renovations of old ones should all be included in the budget. After getting the budget approved by the higher authorities of the government, everyone must start working as if performing religious duties.

By following a proper process, it is certainly possible to win medals in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. Within four years, the results of the project's development will be directly noticeable in regional sports events like the South Asian Games. This is how others have succeeded; why can't we? The project might cost around 200 crore taka initially. For the state, this expenditure is not substantial for enhancing the country's image, motivating people, and inspiring the youth and young adults. Instead, the country will gain much more in return from this project.

Author: Columnist and analyst. Former Senior Vice President AIPS Asia. Life Member Bangladesh Sports Press Association. Panel Writer Football Asia.