Not Salman Khan, Gautam Gambhir Backs Abhinav Bindra as 2016 Rio Olympics Ambassador

Gautam Gambhir has joined the debate on whether it was appropriate to name Salman Khan as the Goodwill Ambassador of the Indian contingent for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The outspoken Kolkata Knight Riders captain feels sports doesn't need film stars for publicity.

"I would have been happy if someone like Abhinav Bindra would have been named as an ambassador. There are a lot of sportspersons who have done a lot for sport. Ideally, one among them should have been given that responsibility," Gambhir said in Mumbai on Monday.

A world champion, Bindra won the 10m air rifle gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He was the first to win an individual gold medal at the Summer Games.

Gambhir is known to speak his mind. Although he didn't name Salman Khan, Gambhir was clear in his mind that sports did not need publicity and film stars. Interestingly, Gambhir lead an Indian Premier League team that is co-owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla.

"Sportspersons do not need publicity, they do the job for the country. His (appointment) does not give real excitement to a sportsperson," the 34-year-old Gambhir said ahead of Wednesday's IPL match against Mumbai Indians.

"I think a sportsperson should have been a much preferred choice. As he (Bindra) is the first guy who has won a gold medal at the Olympics. He would have been the ideal choice. I have heard someone saying that sportsmen need publicity and sportspersons need Bollywood, my take is completely different," said Gambhir.

On Monday, Sunil Gavaskar supported the move to involve Salman with the 2016 Rio Olympics. In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Gavaskar said IPL has prospered due to the presence of several Bollywood stars and India's Olympic campaign could profit too.

 "Why not a known face who is not really a part of that particular profession. If he can bring a lot more awareness to that particular profession then why not? I don't see anything wrong in it," said Gavaskar.

Noted Bollywood screenwriter Salim Khan defended the appointment of his son by the IOA. Salim Khan called his son "an A level swimmer, cyclist and weightlifter." "Sportsmen are performing because of sports lovers like us," Salim Khan wrote.

The IOA has earned a lot of flak for naming Salman Khan just months ahead of the Games. Prominent among the critics are Milkha Singh and Olympic wrestling medallist Yogeshwar Dutt.

-With inputs from Anurag Dwary-