Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi on Thursday slammed the BCCI for not sending teams to the Asian Games in China, saying the Cricket Board is not interested because the multi-sport event offers no money.
"It has become commercial...cricket has become very commercial. (In Olympic and Asian Games) There are only medals, no money. So, I don't think anybody from cricket world will be interested in taking part," Kalmadi told reporters in New Delhi.
He was reacting to BCCI's decision not to send cricket teams -- both men's and women's -- to the Asian Games to be held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou between November 12 and 27. BCCI cited international commitments to stay away from the Games where cricket is making its debut in Twenty20 format.
Kalmadi said he was never keen on cricket being part of Olympic sports because "then Olympic sports get hurt".
"They (BCCI) had done it in Malaysia Commonwealth Games also. They sent a second string team there. So I was never keen and I did not put cricket into Commonwealth Games. I knew they won't make it, they will back out at the last minute. They said they would come to Asian Games, but they backed out. I knew this," he said.
Kalmadi was referring to the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur where India sent a second-string squad, while most of the frontline cricketers played against Pakistan in Canada. PTI
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