NEW DELHI: In a bid to upgrade the performance of India in Olympic Games, Narendra Modi government has approved the constitution of a Task Force committee for preparing action plan for next three Olympic Games 2020, 2024 and 2028.
The committee comprises Olympian and coach Pulella Gopichand and Olympic Gold Medallist Abhinav Bindra and others as members.
Union sports minister Vijay Goel said that the committee may invite other specific sports experts, if required.
“It will suggest a comprehensive action plan including short-term, medium term and long-term measures for effective participation of Indian sportspersons in the next three Olympic Games. Tenure of the committee will be for three months or till the time it submits its report, whichever is earlier,” said the minister.
The committee will also suggest effective methods to identify core probable or medal prospects for 2020 Olympics, their coaches and support staff and effective talent identification system for 2024 and 2028 Olympics.
Officials said that the constitution of the committee will help improve India’s medal tally in Olympic Games. The country had dismal performance in 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Besides, it will also identify components of world class support system for elite sportspersons and lay down the pathway. It will also suggest ways to achieve synergy in the efforts of key stakeholders within Union government and across state governments, IOA, National Sports Federations, NGOs, etc.
Apart from this, the committee will also advise on ways to significantly improve the standards of coaching and sports scientist within the country and ways to create and upgrade sports infrastructure necessary to train top-level athletes.
Sports ministry feels that foreign training and international exposure of top-level athletes is necessary to boost the Indian ranking in International sports and the committee will also advise on this and make recommendations on any other matters referred to the Task Force by the government.