The struggle by our Olympians to win a single medal highlights the debilitating status of India as a sporting nation. As the seventh largest nation in terms of size, and with a population of over 1.2 billion, India deserves much better. However, we are still lagging far behind the likes of Cuba, Switzerland and the UK.
India is the only major country of its size that is struggling to win even a single gold in the Olympics. It speaks volumes about the state of sporting policy and infrastructure in our country. India has a lot of talent, struggling to escape from the societal and economic clutches. We have to spot these hidden jewels and nurture them from a young age.
We need a renewed sporting policy and increased monetary and budgetary support from both the Centre and the states. Private sector investment must be roped in for establishing world-class sporting infrastructure. The politico-bureaucratic nexus, however, is preventing any major overhaul of sporting clubs and federations.
Given the current state of affairs, the managerial and administrative practices of these institutions are clearly in a shambles. The Indian Olympic Association and other sporting bodies must be manned by experienced managerial minds of the sporting world. Moreover, talented athletes from both India and foreign countries must be employed as coaches and trainers.
To kick-start a sporting culture, medal winners can be roped in as ambassadors of their respective games. Rather than dole out crores of taxpayers' money to medal winners, we can spend the amount for developing existing infrastructure.
Gaurav Singhal, Rewari
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