BENGALURU: As the curtain falls on another Olympic season, millions of Indian fans who tuned in to witness the pinnacle of human athleticism are left with a bittersweet taste. Neeraj Chopra’s well-deserved silver in javelin and a handful of bronze medals in shooting, hockey, and wrestling offer some solace amidst what has been an emotional rollercoaster for India at the Games.
The highs were matched by lows, from the heartbreak of Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification to Antim Pangal’s run-in with Paris authorities over a security breach in the Olympic village. Further complicating the nation’s Olympic journey was tennis legend Prakash Padukone’s criticism of the athletes, making it a story of both pride and heartbreak.
Despite some successes, the nation’s sporting infrastructure and support systems require urgent reform if the country is to truly stand tall on the global stage.
Nihar Ameen, a swimming coach, points out that while Indian athletes are receiving substantial support, the broader sports ecosystem is still lagging behind global standards. “The athletes received what they needed, but whether their preparation was truly on par with the rest of the world is an open-ended question,” Ameen remarks.
He underscores the need for India’s sports ecosystem to evolve, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, strategic planning, and international competitiveness. Ameen suggests that the issue isn’t with the athletes’ efforts but with the need for further development of the entire sports ecosystem in India.
Meanwhile, badminton player Yasmeen Shaikh interprets Prakash Padukone’s comments as a call for introspection among athletes, especially given the high number who came close to the podium but failed to earn medals. “I’ve trained with Prakash sir, and I know how supportive he is, the world knows that too. I think what he meant was for players to introspect, which is a valuable takeaway.
While there’s enough support from the Sports Federation and government bodies, especially for this Olympics, it’s crucial to consider what players themselves can do. It’s about how they prepare themselves, how much accountability and ownership they take about their performances,” she says. “Additionally, we need to identify talent at multiple levels. For instance, at the recent Games, the US had nearly 600 athletes participating, Japan had around 400, but India had only 117. There is a lot of potential to identify and nurture talent, rather than placing all our hopes on just one or two athletes.”
Rupinder Pal Singh, a former hockey player, echoes Ameen’s concerns, emphasising the critical need for grassroots infrastructure. Singh, who has seen firsthand the impact of limited facilities, argues that the scarcity of basic amenities in districts is stifling the development of upcoming talent. “We need more astroturfs, more equipment, and most importantly, greater awareness,” Singh asserts, pointing out that the lack of accessible facilities forces young athletes to either relocate or give up on their dreams altogether. He also argues that making sports compulsory in schools could help change this mindset and create a pipeline of young athletes encouraged to pursue their Olympic dreams.
In the short term, a city-based coach, believes India would be better served by strategically investing resources in sports that have a higher chance of yielding medals until adequate infrastructure for other sports can be built up. “More money should be invested in sports like badminton, archery, boxing, shooting, hockey, and wrestling. These are the sports where India has a higher chance of winning medals,” he says, emphasising the need for systemic reform of sports federations across the board to improve governance. “There’s often internal conflict within federations. This has led to missed opportunities, so we need to ensure everyone is on the same page,” says the tennis coach.