Formula One is not a sport insists Sports Minister Gill
August 31st, 2009 - 6:20 pm ICT by ANINew Delhi, Aug 31(ANI): Union Sports Minister MS Gill on Monday stuck to his remarks over Formula One (F1), and said that it is a source of entertainment and the Ministry’s focus is on other sports.
Addressing media in the national capital Gill said: “I will stand by my earlier comment that F1 is not a sport. Our view on F1 not being a sport was taken months ago. This is the most expensive entertainment event in the west. The technology used for the same is far beyond anything here.”
“We are focused in promoting other sports. What they want to do is their business, we are nowhere concerned with that,” he added.
Gill’s comments were a snub to Force India owner Vijay Mallya, who had said that F1 was indeed a sport and was a viable sport in India.
“When hundreds of millions of people worldwide follow it as a sport, what makes them believe otherwise?” Mallya had said.
It is believed that Sports Minister’s comment would have a significant influence on Mallaya’s dreams of bringing F1 to India in 2011.
According to reports, JPSK Sports, promoter of the event in India, has already acquired land for construction of a F1 track in Greater Noida and have started building the track. (ANI)
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Tags: dreams, entertainment event, f1, formula one, greater noida, New Delhi, other sports, significant influence, snub, sport in india, sports promoter, union sports, vijay mallya
