Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced the setting up of a task force which will help to plan for the “effective participation” of Indian sportspersons in the next three Olympics, to be held in 2020, 2024 and 2028.
He made the announcement at the monthly meeting of the Union Council of Ministers and said the structure of the task force would be in place in the next few days. According to official sources who spoke to The Hindu , Mr. Modi made the announcement as soon as the meeting convened.
“The task force will prepare an overall strategy for facilities, training, selection procedures and other related matters…,” officials said, quoting Mr. Modi.
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“The government will look at in-house and outside experts for this task force,” they said.
India had to content itself with two medals in the Rio Olympics, although a larger number of sportspersons qualified for the 2016 Games than for the previous events. The medal tally, however, came down from six in London Olympics of 2012 to just two.
“Mr. Modi wants the task force in place with a very long-term plan for three Olympics, because he wants to break the myopia with regard to training for a premier sporting event like the Olympics. He is very clear that whatever is required in terms of sports infrastructure from the government is provided well in time. It is clear to him that champions are reared in generational terms,” said an official.
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Mr. Modi had asked for a report on the doping charges against wrestler Narsingh Yadav, and was disturbed by some of the controversies that came up in relation to the Indian contingent in Rio during the course of the Games.