'Sports city' rues ''washout' of Olympic business

Jalandhar, Aug 13 (UNI) The dreams of sports goods manufacturer of reaping gold in the Olympics and forthcoming Commonwealth Games have been dashed as not a single order of sports goods has come into their lap from these world class events.

In an ironic development, the business in this 'sports city' has been in fact 'hit adversely' by the mega sports event being held in the neighbouring country.

Even the sale of hockey sticks and accessories, which had got a boost after run-a-way success of Shahrukh Khan starred "Chak De India" , had decreased in domestic market after the unceremonious exit of the Indian hockey team in Beijing Olympics, rued Rana Raghunath Singh, a leading sports goods manufacturer.

The City, which contributes more than Rs 500 crore in the export of sports goods, did not receive a single order for even the replicas for the Beijing Olympics, he said.

To make matters worse, there has been no order for sports goods for even the Commonwealth Games, to be held in national capital in 2010, according to Raj Singh, another sports goods trader.

''This is in contrast with the Soccer World Cup, when every manufacturing unit was busy in making football goods as orders in bulk was received from the international market,'' he said.

''Now cricket seems to be the main sustaining sport for us as we still have orders at hand for cricket equipments,'' he said adding that ''We are now praying that cricket retains its popularity.'' UNI XC JN VN1602