Armstrong, Apology and Azaruddin

“I love these Americans…” Lulu, my parrot, said as he read a story in the newspaper.

“Aw, you are a rare bird Lulu!” I said and continued, “Not many would say that. But I know you are actually angry with them. Why, may I ask?”

“Well, it is this way. They produce great people, or at least they think that they are world’s greatest. They earn a lot of money because they are who they are. And then those great persons make blunders; they repeat them…….”

“And then they deny it a hundred times before admitting it in an interview which millions would watch.” I interrupted him to complete the sentence.

“You got it right. They make more money because that interview is watched by millions. Mistakes pay in USA.” Lulu said.

“You are referring to Lance Armstrong, right?”

“Right. His apology is no apology really.” Lulu observed.

“What do you mean? He said it in front of millions.”

“He was saying “doping was “part of the process required to win the Tour”, and that he did not feel he was cheating at the time and viewed it as a “level playing field.” Ha, ha.”

“I think I see your point.”

“An apology must disclose remorse and penitent heart. Do you see any evidence of that?” Lulu asked angrily.

“Nope.” I said.

“And this was not a solitary instance done impulsively, but he was doing it for six years at least. You cannot do it without knowing what you were doing it.” Lulu fired another one.

“I think there was this tennis star who also confessed…..”

“Andre Agassi! He made millions by disclosing it in his autobiography.” Lulu.

“Oh, yes. Do you think sponsors must also be paying him to disclose?”

“I can’t say, but this drama happens only in the US of A, not so in India.”

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“Well, otherwise Azaruddin would have written an autobiography and confessed match fixing too.” Lulu said as he flew away.

Vivek