Rio is not Delhi: Curb your enthusiasm, Vijay Goel

With one week over at the Rio Olympics 2016, India's story has so far been one of disappointments (no medals) and heartbreaks (think Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang), with a dash of hope (think Dipa Karmakar) in between.

Now Shobhaa De's comments notwithstanding, there's not an iota of doubt that our athletes - already battling a non-existent sports culture and lack of infrastructure, as it were - are trying their best to bring home medals and deliver for the country at the highest echelons.

In this slightly grim scenario, trust Vijay Goel, minister of state for youth and sports affairs, to save the day.

As this Indian Express story says, the gold medal for selfies, indeed, should go to our esteemed sports minister.

In a major embarrassment for the Indian contingent, the BJP leader from Delhi has landed in a soup after Rio 2016 organisers threatened to cancel his accreditation (send him home already!) if people accompanying him failed to put an end to their "aggressive and rude" behaviour.

In a letter, Sarah Peterson, continental manager of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee, asked Rakesh Gupta, India’s chef de mission, to pass on the warning to the minister.

"We have had multiple reports of your Minister for Sports trying to enter accredited areas at venues with unaccredited individuals. When the staff tried to explain that this is not allowed, they reported that the people with the Minister have become aggressive and rude and sometimes pushed past our staff," said Peterson in the letter.

"As you can understand, this type of behaviour is not acceptable. Despite previous warnings, it would seem that even today the same incident occurred at the Rio Olympic Arena (Gymnastics venue) and Carioca Arena 3," Peterson added.

She warned that Goel's accreditation could be cancelled because of this.

"Should our protocol team be made aware of further examples of this type of behaviour, the accreditation of your Minister for Sports will be cancelled and his privileges at the Olympic Games withdrawn. We trust you will pass on this message urgently," she said.

Yes, you read that right. Mind you, this is India's sports minister we are talking about.

Clearly, the Olympics organising committee is angry with Vijay Goel and his "gang".

Here are three reasons why Vijay Goel should return home already:

1. Selfie champion

Everybody loves a good selfie. But Vijay Goel seems to have gone to Rio with a one-point agenda: getting himself clicked with sportspersons.

Check out this selfie of a beaming Goel with a visibly exhausted boxer Vikas Krishna and you'll know what we mean.

And another one.

Give hime Cheerleader of the Year medal already.

2. Tu-jaanta-nahi-mai-kaun-hoon syndrome

It seems Vijay Goel suffers from the proverbial Delhi epidemic, better known as "tu-jaanta-nahi-mai-kaun-hoon [you don't know who I am]" syndrome. To be honest, this episode, although serious in nature, should hardly come as a surprise. After all, how many ministers or VIPs have you ever seen alone, without their lackeys - at parties, social gatherings, seminars, or even while eating out?

And, this infamous VIP culture is being displayed with full gusto by our sports minister and his entourage at the biggest sports event in the world.

Goel should've realised this is Rio, not Rajouri Garden, where the entire traffic comes to a halt if a minster is passing by; where if you're a VIP's relative - their mother's brother's neighbour's son will do - you get a free pass to any inaccesible area anywhere, anytime.

3. An over excited cheerleader

Ever since Goel landed in Rio, he has been on a social media blitzkrieg - tweeting pictures of him hugging athletes and cheering the teams.

Sample a few of his tweets:

Celebrating India's victory over Argentina with our #Hockey Team at #Rio2016 #KheloIndia #JeetoRio pic.twitter.com/Rthsj0ODDl

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) August 9, 2016

Best wishes to Indian Men’s #Hockey team for their match against Argentina. #MakeIndiaProud #JeetoRio pic.twitter.com/cCSPfUsJvk

— Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) August 9, 2016

Now, his intentions might be noble but one has to understand that there is a limit and one must respect the athletes' personal space. Goel's entourage has come under fire for this very reason - for "trying to enter accredited areas at venues with unaccredited individuals".  

In his defence, Goel tweeted that "we have been following all rules and regulations. We are committed to the spirit of Olympics and back our Indian players" and also that "there seems to be some misunderstanding as we have followed all protocols as advised by the organisers".

Dear Mr Goel, as much as you want us to believe that this is a "misunderstanding", it is preposterous to even consider that the Olympics Committee, already preoccupied to say the least, will go all out to target an individual minister of a participating country for small misdemeanours. Don't trivialise a serious offence when you've caused embarrassment to an entire nation.

Perhaps they're jealous? Well, a country with zero medals, but a gold-medal worthy minister!

Come home, Mr Goel, you've cheered enough.