Paris 2024 is just a few months away and as always, the question leading up to the Games is a simple one: is India ready? The seven medals won at Tokyo and the success at the Hangzhou Asian Games have raised expectations but the Olympics attract the best talents in the world and there are no guarantees. Still, with Neeraj Chopra leading the group, there is more than just the solitary hope.
Hindustan Times caught up with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to understand the overall sports ecosystem in the country and how the government is aiding athletes in their Olympic preparation:
Your thoughts on the preparation of the Indian team for the Paris Olympics. What is the medal count that the Ministry has in mind?
While we do not have a particular number in mind, I am confident that our athletes will come home with India’s best haul in an Olympic Games. We have supported our athletes to secure qualification and prepare well for Paris 2024. Our athletes are fearless and compete on equal terms with the world’s best.
Tell us about India’s preparations for the Paris Olympics? How much money has the government spent over the last four years since Tokyo to improve the country’s medal tally in Paris?
We have left no stone unturned in ensuring that maximum Indian athletes qualify for the Paris Olympic Games and are well prepared. More than 350 foreign exposure trips for training and competitions were sanctioned in select Olympic disciplines in this Olympic cycle. It has encouraged the athletes to be ready to deliver their best performances without facing the pressure of expectation.
As of now, 58 of our athletes have qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. For the first time, both the men’s and women’s Table Tennis teams have earned places in the Olympic Games draw. Similarly, India has won a quota each in women’s Skeet Shooting and in Equestrian (Dressage) for the first time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always motivated athletes to compete fearlessly in keeping with the brave new India that is emerging as a world leader in many areas.
There are countries that respond to non-performance by cutting funding to a sport. How does the Ministry view non-performance?
We would not want athletes to suffer due to lack of government support through federations, therefore fund cuts as a measure for non-performance is not on the cards. The Sports Ministry has graded NSFs as High Priority, Priority and General based on performance and expectations. These lists are reviewed periodically with previous performance and the sport is accordingly graded.
The government has announced its intention to bid for the 2036 Olympics. Could you please tell us about the current state of involvement with the IOC with respect to bidding for Olympics?
At the historic IOC session that took place in Mumbai in October 2023, PM Modi announced that India is keen and all out efforts are being made to organise the 2036 Olympics and 2030 Youth Olympics in India. We are working in close coordination with the Indian Olympic Association and are in talks with the IOC Future Hosts Commission to make a strong recommendation in favour of the Indian bid. In fact, we already have had two rounds of productive discussions with the Future Hosts Commission.
As India aspires to host Youth Olympics and Olympics, the country would be looking to achieve success in terms of more medals? What kind of investment is needed? Has there been any plan/strategy or disciplines being identified where India can maximise their chances of winning medals?
Of course, we wish to break into the top 10 in the Olympic Games medal tally and we believe that we can achieve this target. We have encouraged sports like cycling and swimming which offer many medals to step up and contribute to the tally. As for investment, suffice to say that the Government has enhanced the size of the Ministry’s budget three times in the past decade from INR 1093 crores in 2013-14 to INR 3397.32 crores in 2023-24 and the right support at the right time is being extended to athletes. Besides, corporate and private investments in sports through CSR funds have also contributed to the evolution of Indian sport.
Our flagship Khelo India Games also help us in talent identification and in the next week, we are launching the KIRTI Platform for Khelo India Rising Talent Identification that aims to tap into untapped sporting talent across India and identify our future superstars.
Should women’s sport be an area of particular focus?
Yes, and with good reason. In the past decade, the Government has already enhanced the focus on women’s sport. The results are there for everyone to see. Five medals in the last two Olympic Games have been won by women. Women athletes won 28 medals and had a share in 4 medals of the 70 that India won in 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta. Similarly in the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games last year, women athletes won 46 medals and had a share in 9 medals in the mixed/open category of the 107 medals brought home by India.
We have also seen great reception and support for the Asmita Khelo India Women’s League wherein competitions are being held at various age groups in more than 12 sporting disciplines.