Sports Governance

Various reforms demanded in Sports Governance

• Structured preparation for Olympics – Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to identify and support potential medal prospects for 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games.

• Promoting grassroots level talent –  through Khelo India Scheme which include Khelo India School Games to recognise young talent as well as creating infrastructure for sports in Urban and Rural Areas

• August 2018 : National Sports University Bill 2018 – National Sports University will be opened in Manipur to enhance country’s standing in sports

• Use of Narcotics : Large number of Indian athletes fail in Doping tests which hits prestige of country. Most of cases are such that athlete is unaware of the fact that supplements he is taking are banned. Frequent workshops should be organised in this respect

• Apply Lodha Recommendations to other sports : Acceptance of Lodha committee recommendations has generated awareness & generated demand for reforms in other games as well. The recommendations of Lodha committee which can be applied to sports in general are:
  1. Barring civil servants and ministers from becoming member of the sports federations and associations
  2. Limits on the duration of the tenure and number of times a person can become a member of sports bodies
  3. Former and existing Players should be associated with the bodies of their respective games
  4. Auditing of accounts should be done by CAG nominee
  5. Bringing sports bodies under RTI (Issue of BCCI under RTI is discussed in subsequent section).

• Break the monopoly of cricket : Other games should be promoted as well. For this , approach should be regional on basis of where there are potential viewers . In end , we have to accept the fact that, today promoters encourage those sports only which can generate revenue and viewership . Eg : Promote
  • Football : North East , West Bengal, Goa, Kerala
  • Hockey : Punjab , Orissa etc
  • Wrestling : Haryana, Punjab , UP
  • Swimming : Coastal States

• China Model : Our program to get medals at Olympics should be long . Like China, India should identify the potential junior players which can be trained for atleast decade to make a world class player out of him .