Perplexed by India's interest in hosting events like the 2030 Commonwealth Games, American athletics legend Edwin Moses says the country, which is yet to have a consistent supply line of world-class athletes, needs to decide whether such bids are meant to develop sports or simply make a statement. India has submitted its Expression of Interest (EOI) to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and is also in the running to bid for the 2036 Olympics after handing a letter of intent to the International Olympic Committee.
India is also among the seven bidders to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup in men's football, a sport that is in shambles both in terms of performance and administration in the country.
"It depends on what the vision is for having a Commonwealth Games. Is it just to have an event in India, or is it to really develop sports? That's going to be the big question," Moses, a Laureus World Sports Academy member, told PTI when asked if hosting mega events like the Commonwealth Games could help find better athletes.
"You can put on the Commonwealth Games or any other event and have all the fanfare and the government involved, and people who have nothing to do with sports-but sit on the front row.
"That's what you want to avoid. That's generally what happens," the 69-year-old former hurdler added in a blunt assessment of how he perceives India's interest in these events.
Moses was at his wit's end to understand why a country of over billion people can't consistently produce world-class athletes.
"...it's going to depend on the people who have been athletes, who are able to make things happen. That's for the people in India to determine.
"I don't keep up with the politics of sports over there or what's gone wrong and why isn't a country with a billion people better than others in sports, which doesn't even make sense," he added.
Moses, who won 107 consecutive finals and set the world record in the 400m hurdles four times between 1977 and 1987, said India needs to spend on coaches and infrastructure.
"There's a lot of other countries in the world, much smaller, with much less financial capabilities than India, that produce good athletes," he said.
"So, the infrastructure is just not there to support athletes and take Olympic sports seriously. They have certain areas in which they're really good, but in general, it's probably just the infrastructure, coaches, stadiums, and dedication to help athletes become better athletes.
"The question is, is it valuable to the country, other than cricket, which is the big sport there, right? How much do they value other sports that people may not be familiar with?" he wondered.
'Level Paying' field is Coventry's first assignment
Moses also spoke about the recent change of guard in the IOC in which Kristy Coventry won the elections to succeed Thomas Bach as the body's first woman and African president.
Moses the first task for the Zimbabwean would be to ensure fair compensation for track and field athletes, who he believes, have long been underpaid compared to their peers from other sports.
"I think the main concern for me would be compensation of athletes," Moses said when questioned on issues the new IOC president should prioritise after assuming office.
"Because you have professional athletes from golf, tennis, basketball, soccer coming into the Olympic movement and then you have your classical sports like track and field, gymnastics, swimming. And these people are still uncompensated," he said.
However, ahead of the Paris Olympic Games last year, World Athletics became the first international body to offer hefty prize money for Olympic medallists.
Drawing comparisons with other professional sports, Moses said track and field athletes have missed out on the financial boom due to the lack of a players' union.
"When I was running in 1978, the prize money for winning the men's Wimbledon Championship was USD 80,000. Tennis was unionised. Track and field wasn't," said Moses, who won the 400m hurdles gold medals at the 1976 Montreal and 1984 LA Olympics.
"In American basketball, in 1981-82, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was making USD 1.2 million a year and people thought that was blasphemy... But their union became strong. Look at where their salaries are now.
"Track and field did nothing. Football, baseball, all those sports have really strong unions. They're making millions of dollars a year. And Olympic sports? They've been consistently absent from that group and that endeavour."
Moses pointed out that only a few exceptional athletes like Usain Bolt have managed to build lucrative global brands. He recalled earning well personally in the early 1980s due to a temporary relaxation of amateur rules.
"Track and field is going to continue falling behind until it unionises. And I think there are people who don't want that to happen because it would have implications for a lot of other sports," he explained.
India is also among the seven bidders to host the 2031 AFC Asian Cup in men's football, a sport that is in shambles both in terms of performance and administration in the country.
"It depends on what the vision is for having a Commonwealth Games. Is it just to have an event in India, or is it to really develop sports? That's going to be the big question," Moses, a Laureus World Sports Academy member, told PTI when asked if hosting mega events like the Commonwealth Games could help find better athletes.
"You can put on the Commonwealth Games or any other event and have all the fanfare and the government involved, and people who have nothing to do with sports-but sit on the front row.
"That's what you want to avoid. That's generally what happens," the 69-year-old former hurdler added in a blunt assessment of how he perceives India's interest in these events.
Moses was at his wit's end to understand why a country of over billion people can't consistently produce world-class athletes.
"...it's going to depend on the people who have been athletes, who are able to make things happen. That's for the people in India to determine.
"I don't keep up with the politics of sports over there or what's gone wrong and why isn't a country with a billion people better than others in sports, which doesn't even make sense," he added.
Moses, who won 107 consecutive finals and set the world record in the 400m hurdles four times between 1977 and 1987, said India needs to spend on coaches and infrastructure.
"There's a lot of other countries in the world, much smaller, with much less financial capabilities than India, that produce good athletes," he said.
"So, the infrastructure is just not there to support athletes and take Olympic sports seriously. They have certain areas in which they're really good, but in general, it's probably just the infrastructure, coaches, stadiums, and dedication to help athletes become better athletes.
"The question is, is it valuable to the country, other than cricket, which is the big sport there, right? How much do they value other sports that people may not be familiar with?" he wondered.
'Level Paying' field is Coventry's first assignment
Moses also spoke about the recent change of guard in the IOC in which Kristy Coventry won the elections to succeed Thomas Bach as the body's first woman and African president.
Moses the first task for the Zimbabwean would be to ensure fair compensation for track and field athletes, who he believes, have long been underpaid compared to their peers from other sports.
"I think the main concern for me would be compensation of athletes," Moses said when questioned on issues the new IOC president should prioritise after assuming office.
"Because you have professional athletes from golf, tennis, basketball, soccer coming into the Olympic movement and then you have your classical sports like track and field, gymnastics, swimming. And these people are still uncompensated," he said.
However, ahead of the Paris Olympic Games last year, World Athletics became the first international body to offer hefty prize money for Olympic medallists.
Drawing comparisons with other professional sports, Moses said track and field athletes have missed out on the financial boom due to the lack of a players' union.
"When I was running in 1978, the prize money for winning the men's Wimbledon Championship was USD 80,000. Tennis was unionised. Track and field wasn't," said Moses, who won the 400m hurdles gold medals at the 1976 Montreal and 1984 LA Olympics.
"In American basketball, in 1981-82, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was making USD 1.2 million a year and people thought that was blasphemy... But their union became strong. Look at where their salaries are now.
"Track and field did nothing. Football, baseball, all those sports have really strong unions. They're making millions of dollars a year. And Olympic sports? They've been consistently absent from that group and that endeavour."
Moses pointed out that only a few exceptional athletes like Usain Bolt have managed to build lucrative global brands. He recalled earning well personally in the early 1980s due to a temporary relaxation of amateur rules.
"Track and field is going to continue falling behind until it unionises. And I think there are people who don't want that to happen because it would have implications for a lot of other sports," he explained.
You may also like
Pope Francis' brutal childhood surgery that haunted him 70 years later
India's leather, footwear exports jump 25 pc to $5.7 billion in FY25
JD Vance reveals what Pope Francis was really like in final meeting
Lando Norris to miss 'one of the best days of my life' as Brit gets serious in title fight
Aldi to open new supermarket in one of UK's most expensive towns as locals fight back
