Sept. 16, 2024
Context: The Paris Olympics 2024 have concluded with India finishing 71st in the medal tally, a decline from its 48th place in Tokyo 2020. Despite winning six medals, including one silver and five bronze, the nation experienced several near misses and disheartening outcomes that have sparked discussions about the future of Indian sports.
Highlights of India’s Performance at Paris Olympics 2024
Indian athletesMedalEvent
Manu Bhaker BronzeWomen’s 10m air pistol event
Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot SinghBronze10m air pistol mixed team event
Swapnil Kusale BronzeMen’s 50m rifle 3 positions
Indian hockey teamBronzeMen’s hockey
Neeraj ChopraSilverMen’s Javelin Throw
Aman SehrawatBronzeWrestling Men’s 57kg freestyle
Why India Struggles to Secure Olympic Medals?
• Talent Identification: In India, talent identification often occurs on an ad-hoc basis, with limited reach and effectiveness.
• Infrastructure and Resources: Limited access to training facilities, coaching expertise, and financial support can hinder the development of potential talent. Many athletes struggle due to insufficient financial backing from the government. For instance, Shiva Keshavan, India's top Winter Olympian, had to resort to crowdfunding to finance his training and participation.
• Cricket’s Dominance: 87% of sports capital is allocated to cricket and only 13% for all other sports, Thisdisproportionate allocation has hindered the development of Olympic sports.
• Corruption and Politics in Sports Administration: Sports administration in India is often dominated by politicians and bureaucrats, leading to the politicization of sports governance. The recent conflicts within the Wrestling Federation are indicative of the broader issues plaguing Indian sports administration.
• Absence of a Sports Culture: In India, there is a societal preference for education over sports. India's complex social stratification, with strong ties to caste and regional identity, further hinders the development of a unified sports culture. Many communities discourage pursuing sports at an elite level, focusing instead on traditional roles.
What can India do to Improve its Olympic Performance?
• Grassroots Development: There needs to be a stronger emphasis on Identifying and nurturing talent from a young age across various sports disciplines at the grass root level.China, which shares some socio-economic similarities with India, has excelled by systematically identifying and nurturing talent from a young age.
• Investment in Infrastructure: Building world-class training facilities and providing athletes with access to the best coaching and support systems including psychological support, nutrition, and injury management.
• Empowering Athletes: Athletes are the primary stakeholders in sports, and their involvement in decision-making can bring much-needed accountability and transparency to sports organizations.
• Collegiate Sports System: India can develop a collegiate sports system that mirrors the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) in the United States.
• Cultural Shift: Changing societal attitudes towards sports and encouraging families to support children in pursuing sports careers.
Initiatives Related to Sports Development in India
• Khelo India
• National Sports Development Fund (NSDF)
• Sports Authority of India (SAI): It was set up as a Society registered under the Societies Act, 1860 in 1984 to promote sports and games. SAI manages several schemes aimed at youth and senior sports promotion, including the National Sports Academy (NSA) Scheme, Center of Excellence Scheme, National Sports Talent Contest Scheme (NSTC), Army Boys Sports Company Scheme, Special Area Games Scheme, and COME and PLAY Scheme.
• National Sports Awards: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, ArjunaAwards, Dhyanchand Awards, and Dronacharya Awards.
• Scheme for Sports & Games for People with Disabilities: Introduced as a Central Sector Scheme in 2009-10, the program provides specialised training and support to athletes with disabilities, encouraging their participation in sports and enhancing their skills.
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan: Launched in 2014, this federally funded program aims to build sports complexes at the block level, providing infrastructure for both indoor and outdoor sports.
• Fit India Movement