Azhar supports Bindra, says shooter is best medal prospect

KOLKATA: With India's only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra threatening to quit, former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin on Saturday said the ace shooter is the best medal prospect for India and the national federation should support him.
The cricketer-turned-politician, who was felicitated by Mohammedan Sporting at its club tent here, termed the latest controversy in the Indian sport as "very sad" and said the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) should stand by Abhinav.
"What I heard about Abhinav is very sad. If a shooter like Abhinav is saying he is frustrated then there must be something wrong. NRAI should do something about it. It is not going in the right direction.
"After our achievement in hockey, Bindra has given us the only Olympic individual gold medal. At the moment, he is the best Olympic medal prospect for India," said Azharuddin, who is now a Congress MP.
Abhinav said he was frustrated with the NRAI's attitude against him but the national federation claimed they were being made a scapegoat in the entire episode.