Winter games amid coronavirus scare

Absolutely bizarre it looks that winter games are held in ski resort Gulmarg amid coronavirous scare in valley. Though government offers no explanation for the wrong timing of the sports even in Gulmarg but people of different shades and opinions seek explanations from the government. The commencement of the winter games at Gulmarg is by all standards of understandabilities a violation of the Jammu & Kashmir Government advisory in view of the rising fears about the breakout of the cornovirous spread across the globe for last several days. When the Jammu & Kashmir Government in its advisory on coronavirous asks the people not to hold gatherings for the purposes of avoiding close physical contacts which could spread the disease in this part of the country as well. Holding a conclave of over 800 sportspersons likely to attract huge audience in ski resort Gulmarg shows that government itself is not concerned about the implementation of advisory issued by health and medical education department on coronavirous scare in Jammu & Kashmir. The winter games scheduled in March should have been held in mid January as weather suitability is must for the conduct of mega sports events like winter games. Screening players at the airports and national highways is by all standards of understandabilities not only a harassment but also an embarrassment which no host in any part of the world would like to guests. Attraction of the mega sports even was lost the movement sports minister Kiren Riiju asked the players and other invitees not to shake hands and give hugs as shaking hands and giving hugs is the main attraction of any sports even in any part of the world.
An unwise decision of the government has very rightly attracted sharp criticism for right reasons from people of all shades and opinions within and outside Jammu & Kashmir.
True it is that sportspersons visit foreign places as ambassadors of peace but sportspersons can’t play the role of ambassadors when they are asked not to shake hands or give hugs due to ongoing fear of the spread of coronavirous disease. Notably the coronavirous scare has led to postponement of the FIBA 3×3 basketball Olympic qualifying tournament, but it did not prompt either the Union Sports Minister or the Jammu & Kashmir Government to cancel the much hyped winter games at Gulmarg in view of the increasing coronaviorous scare in Kashmir valley like other parts of the country. An unwise decision of the government has very rightly attracted sharp criticism for right reasons from people of all shades and opinions within and outside Jammu & Kashmir.