In a letter written by the Union ministry of sports to JPSK Sports, the promoter of Formula 1 racing in the country early, the ministry rejected the promoter''s request to get approval for remittances of $36.5 million to host an F1 race in the country on the ground that it wasn''t a sport. This has been supported by the argument that it has entertainment value and therefore amounts to a commercial initiative.
Motorsports fans and bodies around the world have been left flummoxed by the government''s views, especially in light of the previous support offered by the ministry to motorsports in the country.
To say that a sport is not one because it provides entertainment is ludicrous. Every sport, if it wishes to be popular, needs to be entertaining. The truly boring ones, like curling and croquet, are hardly sports with massive worldwide television audiences. India''s favourite sport, cricket, is constantly changing and shortening its format to remain entertaining and to draw in viewers.
If sport is a test of human endurance, then Formula 1 undoubtedly qualifies. Anybody who has seen Formula 1 racing drivers step out of their cars after a race cannot doubt their physical fitness or the abuse to which they subject their bodies. Man and machine work in harmony to push body and car to the limit and beyond and, yet, come away unharmed. It is as much a spectacle, if not more so, than a six hit out of the park. Moreover, technology has become a part of most sports today. Without the right cricketing or tennis gear, even the best player could lose.
As for the argument that hosting an F1 race will do little to encourage local participation in sports, who knows? Already, India''s interest in F1 has increased since an Indian first competed in F1. The boost that motorsports in the country would receive if it hosted the world''s premier auto racing competition would be huge.
Counterview: Formula for disaster