SAI to start Comprehensive Coach Development Program

With an aim to attract and retain the best coaches, Sports Authority of India (SAI) had decided that a Comprehensive Coach Development Program will be initiated at all levels of coaching.

The decision was taken during the 51st governing body meeting of SAI which was chaired by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore.

A professional agency will be employed to undertake a detailed study of the current coaching system and the findings will be used to improve the existing system. Coaches performing better than their counterparts will also be incentivized.

This is in the continuance of the decision taken in the last Governing Body meeting when it was decided that the cap on salary for coaches in National Academies be increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh per month or above, depending on merit.

The body also approved the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of SAI. It was decided that funds, expertise, services from various interested corporate organisations under CSR, may be mobilised for different activities such as development of sports, infrastructure, training, expertise, sports science back-up, nutrition to sportspersons, design and implementation of athletes' education, kitting, equipment, travel expenses of athletes, medical expenses or any other areas for the development of sports under the promotional schemes like, Khelo India or any other sports activity assigned to SAI by the government of India.

While doing so, SAI will be inviting proposals from interested corporates. Selected corporate partners will also be members of the managing committee so that there is greater involvement of corporates and more companies feel motivated to contribute to the changing sports scenario of the country.

It emerged during the discussion that most corporate are only spending one percent of their total CSR budget on sports. The effort is to ensure that at least two per cent of the average net profit is contributed by corporates through CSR.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary, Sports, Rahul Bhatnagar and Director General, SAI, Neelam Kapur.