Saturday, September 26, 2009

Gary Kirsten's misplaced indignation

The Telegraph, Calcutta, India issue dated 26 June 2009 carries an interesting news item (http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090926/jsp/sports/story_11543481.jsp) on Gary Kirsten, the Team India coach,. He has been in the news of late for his co-authored document which, among others, is said to encourage the Indian cricket team members to have more sex prior to a match for better performance (on the field).

It states that Gary Kirsten "had absolutely no role in authoring a rather controversial document"...Kirsten is siad to have read out a statement claiming that he was deeply hurt by " the many allegations that I encouraged the Indian players to engage in sexual activity before a match...I would like to state that I have never… and, I repeat, never encouraged or told the team or any player to engage in any form of sexual activity. These allegations are absolutely not true and completely against my religious and moral beliefs. The leaked article was compiled by Mr. Paddy Upton and provided information for the players on the relationship between sexual activity and sports performance. I never wrote the article and read it for the first time two days ago. It has never been and never will be part of team strategy....."

If (and it is a big 'if') what he claims is true, then the obvious questions is, who added his name to the report? How was it done without his permission? Is he so naive as to permit himself as a co-author without reading it or having any idea whatsoever about what it contained? If he is "deeply hurt", he should speak to his partner Paddy Upton, not to the media, shouldn't he!

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