'Eight years for gold'

By K. P. Mohan

NEW DELHI, APRIL 18: If commission and committee reports, and seminars could get India the elusive Olympic gold, then the Sports Commission of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has come up with what it thinks is the right recipe for success in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Set up in 1996 when Mr. Suresh Kalmadi took over as the IOA President, the Commission, under Mr. K. P. Singh Deo, could meet for the first time only in March, 1999, and has now, after two years, come up with a 42-page report. It is titled `Eight years for gold' and it suggests - at least in the opinion of the committee - how to aim for over 100 medals in the 2006 Asian Games and a `number of gold medals' in Olympics 2008.

The recommendations and observations in the report will be discussed by the IOA - hopefully, one should say since the IOA is yet to take up the report of the Chef de Mission of the Indian contingent for the Sydney Olympic Games - and they will also form the subject of a seminar to be held here on Thursday.

Much of the 42 pages have been devoted to the `basics' of Indian sport, topics which might have been discussed many times over in the past and in detailing the achievements of Indian sportspersons so far. The report also explains briefly the system being adopted in other countries, the structure of sports organisation in the country and the efforts so far in the sports arena. It stresses on the need to integrate the efforts of the Centre, State Governments, the IOA, the National federations and various other agencies including the Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Based on the number of medals won so far in the Asian Games, the report suggests the following 26 disciplines for participation in Asiad 2006 and thereafter:

Archery, athletics, badminton, billiards and snooker, bowling, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, kabaddi, karate, rowing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling and yachting.

Note that football does not get a mention in the list. It has also been suggested that out of these 15 disciplines may be prioritised for participation in the 2004 Olympics and onwards.

The main recommendations of the commission are:

Sports symbolises national unity, national pride, national honour and national prestige. It should become a national movement and a way of life.

Physical education and sports should be integrated with education (the learning process) from primary school to university level including Olympic education.

Local self governments, municipalities, State governments and Central Government should create sports infrastructure for training and for competitions on a war footing. It should be dovetailed into the economic development plan of the country, with concurrence and approval of the Planning Commission and State Planning boards, as well as finance commissions of the State and Central governments.

Sports sciences, i.e. sports physiology, sports psychology, bio- mechanics, nutrition, as well as sports medicine should be developed extensively throughout the country starting from district to state capitals and at National levels along with qualified personnel and state of the art equipment.

Convergence and integration of coordinated efforts of all agencies... should be made for scouting, profiling and nurturing of talent on scientific lines with emphasis on sub- junior level both for boys and girls.

Selection and education of coaches including upgradation of their training skills needs to be improved on scientific and professional basis.

Quality sports equipment including sports apparel for training and competitions should be made easily available at affordable prices.

All sportspersons, coaches, administrators, State and Central Government and officials should be held accountable for performance, development of skill and excellence at National and international level.

Marketing of sports - application of information technology for promotion of excellence in Olympic sports and the patronage as well as cooperation of the media and the industry in achieving the aim is of vital importance.

The report does not mention what will be the cost of carrying out the recommendations of the panel. It also does not give an action plan, short-term or long-term for achieving results in any particular discipline or a set of disciplines.

There is no dearth of hyperbole in this report. Sample this under the heading `Approach': ``As a result of the discussions, deliberations and interactions within the core group, special invitees and experts, it would felt (sic) that to achieve our aim, the entire task, necessarily, would have to take an integrated and systems approach wherein parents, teachers, educational and other institutions, employees, industry and commerce, community and media support, involvement and cooperation and commitment would have a significant and crucial role.

``Thus it is imperative to have a sound organisational, scientific and management structure, flexible and economic approach, simple and transparent in communication skill and technique, a coordinated and concentrated effort convergent strategy and plan of action, consolidated, optimum utilisation of all available resources, scientific, material and financial, towards producing/making of the ultimate athlete''.

If only words could have got us the gold medals, or produced the `ultimate athlete', then this should be it.

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Section  : Sport
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