Blue, the colour of Indian cricket team, for instance, is associated with Lord Krishna, perhaps one of the most favoured Gods in the country. Blue symbolises the intrinsic, natural and sublime connect with originality. Blue stands for power and life
Abhishek Dubey
Sports are the first human activity when one sets feet in this beautiful planet. Sports do not exist in vacuum. Sportsperson doesn’t come from any other planet. Sports reflect our lives per se. Sportspersons are the by-products of the eco-system we live in. Colour, thy name is life. When they say life is colourful, they mean life has all shades of emotions. People cherish the enriching journey afloat this wide spectrum of emotions that makes life enjoyable. Colours are symbolic in nature. Everything on
earth is colourful, and uncovers a treasure of symbolism. In India, where the festival of HOLI is celebrated with complete zest and fervour, colour holds great significance. Use of colour is nothing but an expression of faith and belief. And for a country that is known for its spiritual consciousness, almost everything and anything has profound meaning. And, if the colour is the name of life, how could the sports and sportspersons be different. As in the actual life, one of the most sought after colour in the actual life is winning. And, given the same set of the skill and fitness, which colour helps you to win?
Red is the immediate answer. In one of the recent studies held in Germany, red colour was earmarked as the most winning colour. Researchers found out that those who wear red tops, jackets and clothings score ten per cent more in any competition than those with any other colours. Sports psychologists believe that red could make individuals and teams more confident as well as being perceived by others as more aggressive and dominant. The findings try to explain as to why Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, have been so successful. The study by German sports psychologist at the University of Muster, was reported in the New Scientist magazine. As per the magazine, “The sports psychologist at the university, showed video clips of bouts to 42 experienced referees. They then played the same
clips again, digitally manipulated so that the clothing colours were swapped around. The result? In close matches, the scoring swapped round too, with red competitors awarded an average of 13 per cent more points than when they were dressed in blue”. Norbert Hagemann who led the study says, “If one competitor is strong and the other weak, it won’t change the outcome of the fight. But the closer the levels, the easier it is for the colour to tip the scales”. For the huge fan base of cricket in India, ‘bleed blue’ has been the consistent chant. For them, dominance of red over blue may not be palatable, but this recent research is worth looking at.
This is just the latest piece of research suggesting that exposure to certain colours can have a significant effect on how people think and act. In our years of sports coverage, we used to wonder as to why the league and franchise owners invest so much time and money on the jersey their players and support staff should wear. If the owners of Kolkata Knight Riders, unveiled their team jersey in the first edition of IPL with a huge fan fare, the owners of Bangalore Royal Challengers came up with the concept of two separate set of jerseys for the home and away matches. And, Bangalore franchise in IPL has always preferred ‘Red’ as the dominant colour. The westerners believe that red is the colour of passion and romance. But in India, it holds a greater
significance. Goddess Durga is often associated with the red colour. She is seen draped in blood-red sari. On the one hand red incites fear while on the other, it stands for purity and hence brides are often in red attires on their wedding day. The vermilion or Sindoor that is red in colour is symbolic of her marital union with her husband. In a larger context, the colour represents fertility and opulence.
Up to now, most of the research has focused on red clothing in sport, but other colours and settings are being investigated too. The importance of other colours like Blue, Silver, Green and Orange could perhaps be better decoded then. It is becoming clear that colours can have an important, unappreciated effect on the way your mind works- one that you really ought to know about. Blue, the colour of Indian cricket team, for instance, is associated with Lord Krishna, perhaps one of the most favoured Gods in the country. Blue symbolises the
intrinsic, natural and sublime connect with originality. Blue stands for power and life. Though water is transparent, the colour blue is widely believed to be its colour. The vast horizon that acts as a roof gives a perception that water bodies on earth are blue in colour. Water sustains life on earth, hence, blue colour also represents dynamism. Moreover, Lord Krishna who taught mankind the right way to lead life had a blue skin tone, representative of power. Clearly, on the strength of their ability and rising fitness skills, men and women in blue are all set to enthral the audience in the times to come. Green is the other colour the sportspersons like. For any
agricultural economy, green symbolises a new beginning, harvest and happiness. Green symbolises nature and thus is the manifestation of God himself. Apart from the most favoured colour of jersey, the sports presentation in the television and digital space are predominantly blue and green.
But, as in life, colour in sports is beyond victory and defeat. It is encapsulated in the emotions which makes Tripura girl Dipa Karmakar—the heart beat of the nation. It could be smelt in the earthen charm of the likes of Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt. It could be felt in the emotions which drive people like PV Sindhu to scale new heights. It is the driving force of the battles within battles, which doesn’t allow one to yield an inch in the field. As one of the victors of the members of the champion Blind Indian cricket team says, ‘Sport’ has made me a better professional and a better human being. It has taught me leadership skills, man management, punctuality and discipline. And these critical colours of life are contribution of sports’. Colour, thy name is life. Colour, thy name is sports.
(The writer is a senior Sports Journalist)
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