At the turn of the 21st century, India was not seen as a sports powerhouse. Barring the victories in cricket, moments of brilliance from other disciplines were far and few between. Since then we have come a long way. While it is right that we did not have numbers to flaunt at the previous Olympics, it is for everyone to see that gradually we are getting there.
Among the major impediments that stood as a blockade between an Indian athlete and the podium, financial constraints were perhaps the most dreaded ones.
There was not enough corporate backing and for a country trying to hop on tracks of fast-paced development, sports was not always at the top of priority tree. During those days of not having the best of facilities, there were a few athletes who had the ability to turn heads with their performances. One such man was shuttler Pullela Gopichand – All England Open champion. Gopichand was offered a handsome deal by a cola company back in 2002. For a non-cricketer the deal was lucrative, but Gopi, who was always known for his work ethics, turned down the offer saying, “I am against aerated drinks as they are not good for health. Just as I firmly believe that smoking and drinking (of alcoholic beverages) is bad for health, so is the case with aerated drinks.”
Gopichand never won an Olympic medal for India but now coaches the Indian team and has already two Olympic medals through his wards – Saina Nehwal ( Bronze at 2012 Beijing Olympics) and PV Sindhu (Silver at 2016 Rio Olympics). However, Gopichand has made it clear that he has not stopped his students from endorsing a cola brand but has asked them to not drink it keeping the health hazards in mind. And as it turns out, we are yet to see any of Gopi’s wards endorsing a cola brand.
Cut to the topic! Cricket in India has grown to be a sport that attracts the global market. Players are demigods and money flows like a stream.
In such a market where cricketers are perhaps the first choice as brand ambassadors, it does not come as a surprise that almost every big name of the Indian cricket – past and present – has endorsed a cola brand at one point or the other. Yes, even the humblest and most sorted of all Rahul Dravid too has endorsed aerated drinks. Sachin Tendulkar, as some cricketers have revealed, was fond of having cola drinks.
But Virat Kohli is different. He is approaching Tendulkar’s records, particularly in ODIs, like flash. Kohli’s love for fitness and his determination to keep pushing the bar means that today he is rated as one of the fittest athletes in the world. Fitness does not come easy, it requires sacrifices especially of food habits. Naturally it involves getting rid of all aerated drinks of your diet.
Going a step further, Kohli recently did a Gopichand and turned down a multi-crore deal from Cola Giant Pepsico. Kohli has endorsed Pepsi in the past but then he was a chubby young man running on a single engine – talent.
Now he’s changed and does not just depend on talent. Treats his body like a temple and ensures he always puts the right kind of fuel in it. That he is the leader of the pack means that Kohli’s tremendous work ethics have started reflecting on the current team as well. Never in the recent history of Indian cricket has a team been as fit as the bunch Kohli leads.
Not just from team’s point of view but also as an idol of masses, this move from Kohli must be seen as a noble step. Sportspersons have a relatively smaller shelf life. It then becomes important for them to accumulate as much wealth as possible to ensure a secure retirement. But that does not absolve them of moral obligation – which is to, during all times, keep in mind the fact that whatever they do is followed by millions – knowingly or unknowingly. What helped Kohli in this case was his tremendous marketing team that has ensured that he is not just restricted to one brand. He perhaps endorses the maximum number of brands in India and cutting down one from the market, for a cause he believes in, should not be a cause of concern for anyone.
By refusing to endorse Pepsi, Kohli has established that he is a wiser man now. And is not afraid to accept his flaws of the past and correct when the time necessitates so; some of his comments on feminism and how he has matured of late are just testament to that. In an era where being politically correct is the forte of celebrities, Kohli openly confesses his love for a Bollywood actress and does not think twice before taking to social media to give haters his piece of mind. It is only when you reject the fear of repercussions, you do something great. His refusal of the deal, because he does not want to ask people to do something he refrains from, makes him a true ambassador – someone the generation can look up to. And before I forget there is a lesson or two for Bollywood stars to learn from him for they don’t miss a chance to remind how glorious it is to celebrate 25 years of a Pan Masala.