Not a holiday: Govt tells administrators to be there for athletes at multi-sport events

Ahmedabad, Jan 9 (PTI) India's sports administrators were on Friday told that treating multi-sport events as an "outing with family" instead of being there for athletes will not be tolerated and were asked to give names for the Asian Games contingent by January 15 at a Sports Governance Conclave here.

The Conclave was attended by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and also featured top officials from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and National Sports Federations, Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao.

"It would be shameful if a large contingent of officials goes and not one is available when the athlete needs them. They have to be there 100 per cent of times for the athletes. Please don't go if you think of this as an outing with relatives. We don't need you," Rao stated as he laid out the country's 10-year medal strategy that has Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approval.

"The selection criteria (both Commonwealth and Asian Games) is already out. The Organising Committee for the Asian Games in Japan has set January 30 as the deadline for submission of names.

"The IOA must have told you that you have to give names by January 15, including support staff. Are you all ready? If you don't give names, you might miss the Games. And once you give names, you have to stick to them. Japanese are ruthless, they won't adjust," he added in a curt message to the present NSF officials.

India's officialdom has often been criticised by athletes for not being available at big events even though administrators form a major chunk of contingents to big sporting events.

The Asian Games is scheduled to be held from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya. The Commonwealth Games is due before that in July-August.

Rao said the current medal estimate for the Asian Games stands at 111, an improvement from the best ever haul of 106 in the previous edition in Hangzhou.

However, the assessment for CWG is a modest 20-odd medals after the Glasgow Games was scaled down and major disciplines like hockey, badminton, shooting and wrestling were dropped to ensure a tight budget.

"It can go wrong or be better many times, which will require a lot of effort. CWG would be a bit of a showstopper. Three gold and 22 total medals are expected because it's a truncated Games," he said.

"But as we prepare, we need to train athletes on etiquette. We will be going to Japan and that is a very sensitive country on food habits, social etiquette. We can't make even one mistake," Rao added.

Medal Strategy ========== "Where exactly is the athlete that will play in 2036 when we plan to host the Olympics? He is in school right now. We have to tap that talent as soon as possible," said Mandaviya.

"Government is ready to help you but you also have to cooperate. We should meet monthly to discuss the pressing issues," he added.

And in line with that vision, the medal strategy was detailed by Rao in a presentation.

"In 2036, we must get 12 to 14 gold medals and 30 to 35 total medals to be in the top 10 and in 2048 Olympics, 35-40 gold medals and around 100 total medals. Then only we can be in the top-10 club," Rao said.

"All the major countries improved their rank substantially when they hosted the Games. China started 'Project 119' before the 2008 Beijing Games. They focussed on five disciplines, athletics, swimming, rowing, kayaking-canoeing and sailing for 119 medals.

"These were disciplines in which China was not known to win too many medals...in Beijing Olympics, they got 48 gold medals and in these five games they managed eight gold medals. This is the kind of focus that is expected from all of us and we need to think where we are," he added.

He then talked about the 2028 Los Angeles Games which will have 353 events but India's participation would be significantly low compared to nations like the USA and China, which will field jumbo squads across disciplines.

"This is a painful scene. We think we will host the Olympics and not even participate in half the disciplines," he said.

"With these kind of statistics are we ready to host the 2036 Olympics?" he asked.

He then laid down the plan that can have a transformational impact if implemented properly, including setting up of Olympic Training Centres for every sport, AI-driven monitoring mechanism to identify talent and a National Institute of Sports Science and Research.

Rao revealed that a Pullela Gopichand-led committee has suggested some coaching reforms that would be implemented by the government soon.

"We are planning to set up a coaching certification board for tiered certification of different coaches -- grassroots, intermediate, elite level," he said.

He then addressed the NSF representatives and told them to think beyond day-to-day administration. The government strategy also urges every NSF get one state government on board as a financial backer, following the Odisha model which led to hockey's revival.

"You are the vision builders, you are not administrators. You require professional administrators in your organisation who handle the day-to-day business while you network with international bodies and plan the pyramid of growth," he pointed out. PTI PM AM PM AM AM