Call to include cue sports in Olympics

The Billiards and Snooker Federation of India on Friday demanded that cue sports be included as a medal event in the Olympics.

In a statement, BSFI vice-president Ravi K Tandon said a concerted and concise effort should be made by the Indian Olympic Association, Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry, along with international cue federations, for the inclusion of cue sports as an Olympic discipline.

The BSFI also urged champions of cue sports to raise the cause on a personal level as well as with Olympic officials.

''It is high time for India's Geet Sethi and Yasin Merchant and England's Mike Russel, the top notchers, along with other players to advocate the cause for promotion of cue sport so that it can be included as a demonstration sport in Athens (the host of the 2004 Olympics) and later on as a competitive discipline of sport.''

Commenting on the poor performance of India in the just-concluded Sydney Olympics, where the country was able to win a lone bronze, the BSFI assured Indian sports authorities that if cue sports are included as a discipline in the Olympics, ''India will always come back from the Olympics with a bag full of medals".

UNI