It is quite justifiable that we all congratulate our stars who made the seven medals possible for us at the Tokyo Olympics. The highest tally we have ever achieved. But I also think, it is necessary to reflect on the fact that we managed only 7 medals for our population size of 1.3 billion people. Some countries with a much lesser population and bigger problems, did better (Kenya ranks No. 19, Jamaica No 21, Georgia No 33 and Qatar 41). At the final tally, we were placed No 48 on the world chart of performers. USA/China/Japan were on the top at 1, 2 and 3.
This should be reflection time. Time to decide where we want to be – if obviously, better than this time. So what steps do we need to take?
First and foremost many questions need answers:
*Is the country truly focused on sport like China and other leading sporting nations?
*Which are the type of Olympic sports we could fully participate in with lesser costs?
*Does reducing the Budget on sport help the country compete with other leading nations?
*How is our talent search done? Does it need fine tuning?
*What is the Budget allocation for Talent Scouts in India?
*Does every State have sport complexes with the latest equipment?
*Are local coaches competent enough or do they need to upskill/re-skill?
*Are foreign coaches appointed in good time to make a difference?
*How much of International exposure do our athletes have before the Olympics?
*How strong is our motivation, mind training for our athletes?
*Can we not set up private authorities to administer our sport activities like BCCI/ISL?
Instead of appointing a Sports Commission which normally takes ages to frame a policy for the future, the sports minister could appoint a team of Data Analytical Experts with a firm deadline to study current matters affecting sports and list Issues. Then sports and financial experts to make recommendations to the minister, so we are ready for the next round in Paris in 3 years.
The data experts need to study where teams/individuals are selected from? How the athletes came into the lime light? Were they spotted and given the right motivation and tools to perform or did they have to rely on their own and get help from local coaches? If that be the case, could it be true to say, that the first few years of their practice were wasted, as they picked up wrong technique?
Hockey is sometimes referred to as our National Sport, but there is no national tournament the size of IPL and ISL to encourage this sport .Hockey cannot boast of the kind of astro turf pitches required these days, as compared to Stadiums built all over the country for cricket. BCCI has made cricket the National sport with its excellent, well-organised tournaments. The gate money makes it possible for good cricket stadiums built all over the country. There is definite need for a paradigm shift.
Could the talent scouts have possibly found more hidden gems in places like Manipur/Assam/Tripura/Haryana/Bihar? Our Silver medalist Mirabai Chanu came from Manipur. Our Boxers Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain from Assam? Our two wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia from Haryana, our Hockey stars Punjab/Bihar?
In the previous Olympics in Rio, Dipa Karmarkar the Gymnast started training on very scanty equipment. She missed a medal by a whisker. Dipa is from Agartala, Tripura. Was this talent found by luck, or a concentrated effort by the talent scouts? Poverty does not permit out of village travel. We all know now how our Silver Medalist Mirabai had to travel 40 kms every day to the coaching facility place in Imphal. She had no transport to go to the city for training .But by pure will power she would go by truck, van or even a tuk tuk .Sometimes cycle or even walk her way back
Are there adequate talent scouts assigned to villages? At what age can athletes be selected tor training? This time a 13-year-girl won a Gold in Japan. In remote villages, unless there is a Gala Event announced in good time, about an impending visit of city scouts, there would be poor response. So steps must be taken with school administrators and Panchayat leaders to ensure students gather in hundreds to take a crack at selection.
If, the movie by Aamir Khan “Danghal” is anything to go, is it time that the Sport Authority of India is overhauled and clear guidelines established and Performance Parameters enforced? Or is it time we have a private body to handle things on a professional basis? Or perhaps even a PPP (Private public Participation)?
Are our talent scouts aware of how countries like China scout athletes and trained?
The Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar gave the Hockey team tremendous support. Was this because he personally played hockey in his youth or was it a State Policy? If State policy, are all the States on the same page?
When data is collected and the position paper presented, then decisions need to be taken expeditiously to ensure we are ready for Paris. We need to take steps to be a true Super Power- not just technology and grain but also in sports. We need our athletes to stand proudly on the podium in Paris while our National Anthem plays. As a first step, it could set a target to be among the top 20 in the Olympics.
(Basil D’Cunha is a career guidance counsellor who operates from Jesuit House, Panjim).
