No matter how much hard you try to be optimistic in the month of August, in the little Indian sporting world the month is nothing but the house of pain itself. No matter what former athlete Sebastian Coe coaxes us to feel, the month of August is the culmination of all things wrong in the sporting fraternity. As the song goes, the house of pain is in effect you all, if you step in it will wreck you.

I know of television debates around the Commonwealth Games questioning our pride and our preparedness. But the dramatic visuals of leaky stadiums, of rubble, the levels of unpreparedness with just over two months to go to host the least popular games, played among the few nations that were part of the Commonwealth of Nations, is bound to be nerve wreaking. If some people aren’t suffering from jangled nerves, it is because money has a soothing effect on them. The mammoth expenditure bill that has everybody’s attention looks to be just the tip of an iceberg of a scam. And as the controversies around the poor quality of materials used to build arenas for hosting the games grow, one realises the sports was never the priority – for it has never been. As a nation, we tend to look at self-interest first, the interest of our co-brothers and co-sisters and extended families before we get to the original plan. But by that time, there’s only a pittance left.

But the Commonwealth isn’t what causes heartburn every year. This year, like very year, the month of August gets even more unbearable with the controversies and jostling around the country’s highest honour for achievement in sport. So this year, Saina Nehwal is the unanimous choice, and while she is over the moon to receive the second national honour in two years, Gagan Narang, an ace 10 metre rifle shooter, is left in a sulk. Like Saina, 27-year-old Gagan is currently ranked World No. 2 and only recently became the first Indian to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics after his bronze medal winning performance at the Munich World Championships. But in these awards, which Gagan claims is only a reflection of public and media perception, someone always does get hurt. Like MC Mary Kom in the past.

Inspired by Manipuri great, India legend and Bangkok Games hero, Dingko Singh, Mary Kom began boxing in 2000 and was noticed instantly. So, it wasn’t a surprise that she took only three years to get national recognition when awarded the Arjuna Award in 2003. But her localised visibility made Milkha Singh strike off her name from the Khel Ratna shortlist two years in a row. “Who’s she?” was how Milkha Singh reportedly reacted on seeing her name in the list. Last year, three athletes – Mary Kom, Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar – jointly accepted the Khel Ratna, which stirred up quite another controversy.

There have been several other controversies involving even Dronacharya awardee, including squash coach Cyrus Poncha in 2005, who was opposed vehemently by his own association, and sacked hockey coach Rajinder Singh in 2004. It’s not such an August month after all!