CHENNAI: A total of 117 athletes and 140 support staff will be part of the Indian contingent taking part in the 2024 Paris Olympics scheduled from July 16 to August 11. The Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs on Tuesday gave its approval to the contingent as sought by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the past. The group of athletes comprises 47 women and 70 men. Among the approved support staff, 67 will be accommodated at the Games Village while the remaining will be accommodated in hotels and locations outside the Games Village.
As many as 18 support personnel, the most for any discipline, will accompany shooters. For track and field athletes, 17 support staff have been approved. Interestingly, for six wrestlers (five women and a man), a group of 18 support staff has been approved — five of them will stay at the Games Village.
“The permissible limit for stay of support staff personnel in the Games Village against accreditation as per norms of the Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic Games is 67 including 11 IOA contingent officials, which includes 5 medical team members. For catering to the requirements of the athletes, additional coaches and other support staff numbering 72 have been approved at cost to the government and arrangements for their stay have been made in hotels/in locations outside the Games Village,” read the approval letter. The four golfers and seven support staff, however, will stay in a hotel near the competition venue — which is located approximately one hour from the Games village.
Rs 7 lakh for driver
The organising committee will also provide three cars for the contingent members without drivers. As per the letter, Embassy of India at Paris has been requested to assist in identification and temporary employment of these drivers. Each driver will be paid a whopping Euro 8000 (approx `7.27 lakh) for the duration starting from July 15 to August 14. The SAI will make the requisite payments from the funds made available to it under the Scheme of Assistance to the National Sports Federations.
The letter also said the IOA, SAI, National Anti-Doping Agency and NSFs concerned may take appropriate measures for conducting the dope tests. It also said that IOA may also ensure fitness of the team/individual sportspersons prior to their departure.