Salman Khan opens up on Rio Olympics controversy

Salman Khan has opened up about the latest controversy, in which he he’s been named Goodwill Ambassador of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics 2016.

Talking to Times Of India, Khan responded on why India needed an ambassador for the sport. He said, “The Olympics are not that well covered and watched in India like in other countries. So, when somebody comes to support the players, it makes them feel good and work harder. They become more inspired and dedicated. Having someone like me helps in creating a buzz about the Olympics.”

Elaborating on his new role, he said, “I want to charge up the players and see how they are progressing. If we can increase our medal tally compared to last year, it would be great. When that happens, the infrastructure, diet, coaching and other facilities get better. Pehle (ambassador) nahi lekar aaye thay toh theek hai, par ab jab kisi ko lekar aaye hain toh the players should be encouraged. Since I can only participate in the Olympics if walking were a sport, isiliye main woh hoon jo gaadi ko piche se dhakka de sakta hai. I will also try to go to Rio in the initial phase of the Olympics.”

Asked if a Bollywood celebrity was required to endorse the sport, Khan said, “Everyone’s watching cricket, and it has lots of stars. We need to make stars in other sports. Today, people watch tennis because of Leander Paes and Sania Mirza. Similarly, Saina Nehwal and Dipika Pallikal are stars in their own right. Football will take over very soon because the next generation is hooked to football. Our fault is that we blame cricket, while we need to watch more sports on TV compared to the rubbish we watch on TV. Once we do that, TRPs will go up, and players will get endorsements and they will become stars. While flipping through channels, stop at a badminton match, and try to know who is playing. You want hockey to return to its old glory, watch a game – be it in the stadium or on TV. We (Bollywood celebs) just give that initial impetus.”