Gaurav Gill is a two-time Asia Pacific Rally (APRC) Champion. (Source: Express Archive)
Indian rally driver Gaurav Gill is the latest sportstar to hit out at the Arjuna awards selection committee. This came after he was ignored for the prestigous award. Stating that the panel should have recogized rally driving for the Awards, Gill questioned that if other sports like golf and cuesports can be recognized by the government then why not motor racing. It may be recalled here that only in 2015 did the Sports Ministry recognise motor racing as a sport by including FMSCI in the list of national sports federations.
In an interview with the PTI, Gill, said, “I would call them games (golf, carrom and cuesports), not even a sport with due respect to the people who have received the awards in these disciplines”.
Gill who is a two-time Asia Pacific Rally (APRC) Champion, said, “It is only when the authorities consider racers for Arjuna awards, motorsport will gain popularity and will become a career option for masses. It cannot be the other way around”.
Gill also spoke about popular sports and how the system is biased towards. The 35-year-old said, “Any cricketer who throws 10 good balls or does well once in a while, is awarded. It is a joke,” and added, “In my sport, I have been competing with best in the business but still there is no support.”
Earlier, another Indian athlete
