Olympian with a difference

HYDERABAD: The stentorian voice on court is unmistakeable. But V Sudhakar is affable as can be and polite to a fault. While it's a dream for all sportspersons to represent their country in Olympic Games, this gent can derive satisfaction from the fact that he's been to three. It was a movie on 1968 Olympics in what old-timers here fondly call Plaza theatre that fuelled his craze for the quadrennial sporting extravaganza.
The badminton official cherishes the commemorative medallions in his kitty awarded for his services in three consecutive Olympics from 1992 to 2000 -- Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney. Incidentally, Barcelona is where badminton made its Olympic debut as a medal sport and London 2012 saw India win their first medal courtesy Saina Nehwal. "The whole Barcelona experience was very special and it is something which is very hard to describe in words," said Sudhakar.
It was not just his duties that made it a memorable trip but the opening ceremony. Antonio Rebollo shot a flaming arrow to light the cauldron, a true Kodak moment. "He walked past me. I was just about 60 feet away from where he took aim. I was wondering what he was up to. What an amazing spectacle! Truly sensational," gushed Sudhakar, who is now a member of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) umpires assessment panel.
That also means he is very good at enforcing the rules, on-court. Reputations do not matter as Alan Budi Kusuma found out in Barcelona Games. Kusuma was the gold medallist in the 1992 Games but the Indonesian was at the receiving end of the stick for his delaying tactics in the quarterfinal. "It really didn't matter to me. All I was concerned about was the fact that the game was being delayed. He took it in a very sportive manner," Sudhakar said.
The sheer magnitude of the event, Sudhakar said, sets the Olympic Games apart. "Yes it's huge compared to World Championships. The logistics and getting so many things right is what makes Olympics different. When we went for breakfast in Barcelona, we were stunned to see the dining area could seat 4000 people in one place and could cater to tastes from all over the world," Sudhakar said.
To him Atlanta 1996 was not so exciting as Sydney 2000. "Sydney had more than 6000 volunteers aged 18 to 75 and to me it was the best Games. They made sure that every participant and spectator was satisfied and just did not give any room for complaint," Sudhakar recalled.