New Delhi [India], December 8 : Former India talismanic forward Sunil Chhetri, who created history by becoming the oldest player to score a hat-trick in the Indian Super League (ISL) recently, has revealed that he was approached for a potential role in politics, which he turned down.
Chettri at 40 became the oldest player to score a hat-trick during his team's 4-2 win against Kerala Blasters on Saturday breaking the previous record of Nigerian Bartholomew Ogbeche who scored a hat-trick at 38 years of age for Hyderabad FC.
Noting that several athletes across different sporting disciplines, including fomer football captain Bhaichung Bhatia, have forged a new career path by turning into politicians, Chhetri has said he has no such goals and has ambition in pursuing a political career.
Bhutia contested elections after playing his farewell match for the India national team on January 10, 2012.
While speaking exclusively to ANI, Chhetri revealed he was approached for a potential role in politics, but he "politely" turned down all of them. According to Chhetri, he doesn't have anything to offer as he doesn't know anything about "politics" or "how to help people."
"Few of them have and I've politely said them no because I do not have anything to offer. I don't know anything about governance or politics or how to help people. I think people who get into politics with that motive are unbelievable. It's not easy. You know, it's very easy for us normal people to say, it's not easy to think about others and think about governing them and think about making policies for them or think about helping them. It's not easy. I've just learned, how not to be selfish and think about my family," Chhetri said while speaking exclusively to ANI.
Chhetri gave his take on politicians being involved in sports. He believes in a big country political influence is required in governing sports. According to him, it is not necessary that a big player can also govern a body.
"See, the bigger the country, you will need the political influence. It's very easy to say that a person from sports should be in governance. But tell me how many players you think are... They might be huge players. How do you know they'll be able to govern a big body? It's not easy. It's easy to say. We need the right politician to govern a sporting body. But you need somebody who understands how to govern. A football player, let's say... Let's say me. If I'm a top football player it doesn't mean I'm good at governing. That doesn't mean I know how to run AIFF (All India Football Federation) or any big body. You need a political background, number one, experience, number two, know-how, number three, and your desire. You get elected, and you have to help people. You're going to be elected, you'll fight elections, and you're going to go and help people. You need knowledge," he stated.
He cited an example of his friend and former Member of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Eugeneson Lyngdoh, who decided not to contest in the 2023 elections. By giving an example of his friend Chhetri tried to highlight how hard it is to be a politician.
"One of my friends, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, is from Shillong. He became an MLA because sadly he lost his father. His father was sitting in MLA. Then he became an MLA. So now I've got a first-hand experience of what happens and when I talked to him, after four years he was going to win again. He withdrew, and I asked him why, and he said 'I can't'. From six in the morning, people are knocking on my door because something happened in their family or something. You have to go, you have to go to the rally. It's not easy. We footballers are so pampered. Being a politician who really wants to work hard is not easy. It's not your family, it's about your constitution that you have to think. If you're an MLA, then an MP, then a CM. Imagine how much you have to think. So when the offers came, I was thinking, I was happy, and I was grateful, but I thought it is not me, I can't," he added.
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