C'Wealth Games: Twitter, Facebook abuzz with positive vibes

After a week of nailing down Suresh Kalmadi through abusive names, jokes and ‘We are like this only’ comments directed at politicians connected to the Commonwealth Games, it appears that Twitter and Facebook are now witnessing a groundswell of patriotic fervour in support of the Games.

Stunning photographs of the venue shot by participating teams — till now overshadowed by the negative news surrounding the event — are now coming to the forefront through Facebook and blogs, helping people shape a positive image of the Games in people’s minds.

The Commonwealth Games Council for Wales, has been tweeting enthusiastically about the event, in the process gaining the approval of fans in India and winning new ones as well.

Indian visitors on the Facebook fan page of Canada’s field hockey team have left comments expressing delight at the CWG venue photos and asking athletes not to lose hope.

“We Indians assure you of a once in a lifetime kind of hospitality. You will take back sweet memories from India,” commented Bharat Malhotra. Another visitor, Rituraj Bhuyan said, “Canada has shown the true sportsman spirit.”

On Sunday, a new group was formed on Facebook titled, ‘Let’s All Support CWG’, which described itself thus: “We need to stand up and realise our responsibilities as true Indians and contribute in whichever way, small or big, towards hosting a successful CWG-New Delhi 2010. We represent a different breed of Indians, we stand for our nation and not against.”

The positive public sentiment was most easily visible on Twitter. While negative tweets about CWG far outweighed than positive ones, there is no denying that the fuss about a failed attempt at hosting the Games, is now wearing off.

Subhasish Das (@Bhuto) tweeted, “(Not) Being able to take a CWG joke is the new patriotism test.”

Advertising professional @sonaljhuj agreed: “I wish people would just shut up with the CWG jokes. Delhi looks great. Thinks look okay. Just lets get on with the sports.”

Brand consultant Harish Bijoor tweeted, “If we floss it over and say ‘We are like this only’, as we normally do, then the CWG fiasco has taught us nothing at all. At the end of it, the CWG have two parts to it. The hardware (infrastructure) and the software (sport). If the software part of it falls into place and if we see sporting action that is satisfying, we would have salvaged something.”