Editorial: Chak de Team India

As many as 117 athletes, including 70 men and 47 women, will represent India at the Paris Olympics that kicks off today. They will compete in 69 events for 95 medals, aided by a 140-strong support staff, making it a 257-member contingent. At the Tokyo Olympics, India was represented by a 126-member contingent, and we logged our best-ever performance of seven medals, including a historic gold won by track and field athlete Neeraj Chopra. So far, India has won a total of 35 medals in all the Olympics put together, but a tiny nation like Croatia has won 41. The track record necessitates a stock taking of India’s Olympic-readiness.

The allocation made in the Union Budget 2024-25 towards the sports ministry might be a good place to start. From the total ministry budget of Rs 3,442.32 crore, the lion’s share of Rs 900 crore has been directed to the Khelo India project, aimed at promoting sports at the grassroots level. This is an increase of Rs 20 crore from the revised allocation of Rs 880 crore in the previous financial year. The overall budget for the Sports Ministry saw only a minor increase of Rs 45.36 crore, from the Rs 3,396.96 crore for the previous financial year. This might make sense considering the Olympics are already upon us and the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are still two years away.

One might recall that in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics, India had pocketed a historic tally of seven medals, which has offered New Delhi the gumption to bid for the 2036 Games as well. In preparation for that bid, the government has been pumping significant sums in the promotion of sports, and in equipping our prevailing champions as well. For instance, the Sports Ministry has spent upwards of Rs 470 cr through the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, assistance to National Sports Federation and CSR funds on as many as 16 disciplines during the Olympic cycle of 2021-2024.

Data made available by the Ministry and Sports Authority of India tells us that substantial investments have been made in training some of India’s top athletes. For instance, training Neeraj Chopra has entailed an outlay of Rs 5.72 cr, Badminton queen PV Sindhu was allocated Rs 3.13 cr, weightlifter Mirabai Chanu was allotted Rs 2.74 cr, rifle shooter Sift Kaur Samra was trained for Rs 1.63 cr, boxer Nikhat Zareen was earmarked Rs 91.71 lakh, while wrestler Vinesh Phogat was grappled for Rs 70.45 lakh. The figures could be considered mind-boggling, especially in a country, which has witnessed only handsomely-remunerated cricketing champions being showered with such pricey training programmes, thanks to the deep-pocketed Board.

We also need to address the treatment meted out to our champions, during the off-season when the sheen of tournaments has worn off. This week, the Lok Sabha took up a discussion on India’s preparedness for the Paris Olympics which offered fodder to the Opposition that questioned the timing of the debate on the games a week before the Olympics were to start. Alluding to the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against the former WFI Chief, leaders even reminded the House about scenarios where ministers frequented airports for selfies with champion athletes, but chose to turn a blind eye when these sportspersons were driven into a corner by the very administration that was meant to nurture them. Nurturing sports and athletes should be a broad-based national mandate, not just a quadrennial-targeted affair.