Uma steers clear of cricket with Pakistan

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Uma Bharti, who has been critical of the Indian cricket team playing against Pakistan, refused on Sunday to comment on the commitment made by Board of Control for Cricket in India president A C Muthiah to participate in the Asian Test Championship in Pakistan in September this year.

"I will not say anything on this matter now. When Prime Minister Vajpayeeji meets Chief Executive of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, the two leaders will decide what kind of relationship will exist between the two countries as far as sports is concerned," Bharti told rediff.com after a joint press conference with Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi at the National Stadium on Sunday.

Bharti denied that there was any difference of opinion between her and Kalmadi. "Hamara inse koi jhagra nahin hai," she remarked. "My priority is to hold the Afro-Asian Games and make them a success. I will be inspecting various venues and take stock of the situation from time to time to ensure that all the facilities are in place," she assured the media.

Kalmadi denied that there had been any escalation in the cost of the Games. "At no stage did we say that the Games would cost only Rs 30 crore. The cost of the Games according to present estimates is going to be around Rs 80-90 crore. Fifty per cent of this will go into improving the infrastructure for the Games. Besides, we have added two more disciplines -- hockey (both men and women) and weightlifting," he told rediff.com

Talking about the availability of the two leading Indian tennis players, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes, for the Games, Kalmadi said the IOA had sought the help of former tennis star Vijay Amritraj in the matter. "He will meet officials of the ATP after the Wimbledon championship and try to persuade them to change the dates of the ATP event, which clash with the dates of the Afro-Asian Games. We hope the matter will be resolved amicably.

"Similarly, we are looking into the hockey tournament to be held in Pakistan in the same period. The International Hockey Federation has already asked Pakistan to change the dates of their tournament so that the Afro-Asian Games get priority," he claimed.

Besides releasing the names of the members of the organising committee, the IOA president also released the mascot for the Games, which is a lion named Sheru.