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India Gears Up for Paris Olympics: High-Powered Committee Meets to Enhance CoordinationNew Delhi: In preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics, a high-level committee comprising officials from the Sports Ministry, Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and Sports Authority of India (SAI) convened on Friday to assess India's readiness.Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who presided over the meeting, emphasized the need for "coordination among all stakeholders." He urged officials to prioritize "country's interest before personal interest," according to sources familiar with the discussions.These remarks come amidst ongoing disputes within the IOA over accreditation and financial matters. "IOA executive council members are seeking access cards for National Olympic Committees, which are distributed to federations. These cards provide access to all venues and are essential for federation officials," an IOA official explained."However, only a limited number of such cards (six) are available for India. Some IOA officials also wish to bring their family members," the official added.To address these concerns, a coordination committee was established during the meeting, with IOA President PT Usha and SAI DG Sandip Pradhan in attendance. Usha and IOA executive committee members have been at odds over various issues, including the appointment of CEO Raghuram Iyer, which remains unratified.Upon assuming office, Sports Minister Mandaviya had met with IOA executive council members and urged them to resolve their differences.India's Olympic Contingent and Coaching SupportIndia will send a contingent of 257 members, including 118 athletes, to the Olympics. Notably, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Mirabai Chanu will be supported by three coaches and a physio. In addition to national coach Vijay Sharma, Sandip Kumar and Pramod Kumar have been included as coaches in weightlifting, while Rohit Shyam Chhabria will serve as physio.Tokyo gold medalist Neeraj Chopra will be accompanied by his coach Klaus Bartonietz and physio Ishaan Marwaha. Other athletes, including Manu Bhaker, Vinesh Phogat, PV Sindhu, Manika Batra, Jyothi Yarraji, Gaganjeet Bhullar, and Rajeshwari Kumari, will have their personal coaches.In wrestling, the coaches of Anshu Malik, Antim Panghal, Nisha Dahiya, and Aman Sehrawat will be accommodated in the 'non-accredited' category.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has expressed concerns over the lack of preparatory camps for wrestlers bound for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In a letter to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), WFI president Sanjay Singh has requested medical tests and fitness assessments for the six qualified wrestlers.Singh emphasized the importance of ensuring optimal health and fitness for the athletes before the Games. He stated that the federation will not be held responsible for any injuries sustained due to the absence of sanctioned preparatory camps.The six wrestlers who have qualified for the Olympics are Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Antim Panghal, Reetika Hooda, Nisha Dahiya, and Aman Sehrawat. They have been training independently at their respective academies or abroad under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).However, the lack of a national camp has hindered the assessment of their fitness levels. Wrestling national coaches have informed WFI that they are unable to evaluate the fitness of some wrestlers.The case of Anshu Malik, who reportedly suffered a shoulder strain during training, prompted WFI to write to TOPS. Malik was admitted to a hospital, but WFI was not initially informed. The federation received contradictory reports on her fitness, leading to concerns about her preparation for the Olympics.WFI has also forwarded requests from wrestlers to take their coaches and support staff to the Games for IOA's consideration. Currently, only Vinesh Phogat's personal physio has been cleared by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).The lack of preparatory camps and the uncertainty surrounding the fitness of some wrestlers have raised concerns within the WFI. The federation is urging SAI to address these issues to ensure that the wrestlers are adequately prepared for the upcoming Olympics.

World-renowned archery coach Kim Hyung Tak believes that India has a strong chance of securing its first-ever Olympic medal in archery at the Paris 2024 Games. The Korean coach, who has over 40 years of experience, recently conducted a coaches' seminar at the Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence in Sonepat, Haryana.Kim praised the Indian recurve team's technical training and communication between archers and coaches. He emphasized the importance of consistency in training and preparation, stating that it is crucial for achieving success at the Olympics."By keeping this consistency in training and preparation, I think it is very much possible to get a medal in Paris," Kim told SAI Media.India has already secured one Paris 2024 quota place in archery through Dhiraj Bommadevara. The Indian recurve archers are now aiming for a team quota in the final qualification tournament in Antalya, Turkey, from June 14 to 17.Kim believes that the Indian team has improved significantly, thanks to the talented archers and frequent coaching camps organized by the Sports Authority of India and Archery Association of India. He also highlighted the importance of collaboration between coaches and archers."The average level of the team has got a notch higher because of the talented men's and women's recurve team here. The frequent coaching camps by Sports Authority of India and Archery Association of India too are contributing to the cause and constant collaboration is only helping the team get that elusive medal at the Olympics," Kim said.Kim, who led the Korean women's recurve team to its first Olympic gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, also supervised a two-day national team preparation camp at Sonepat. He was impressed by the coaching program at SAI, Sonepat, which has produced consistent results in recent times."Since I've come here, I've seen more high level and detailed training provided to the archers. The training programs, which use a lot of technology, are also very well crafted. The coaches are continuously mentoring the archers on managing training schedules to training times. The psychology team is also working around the clock and good mentoring is being provided as a whole," Kim said.Kim's optimism for Indian archery is based on the presence of young archers and experienced veterans like Deepika Kumari and Tarundeep Rai. He believes that the team's strong performances and the support of the coaching staff will help them achieve their goal of an Olympic medal in Paris.

Wrestling's governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW), has suspended Bajrang Punia until December 31, 2024, following the National Anti-Doping Agency's (NADA) provisional suspension for refusing a dope test. Despite this, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has sanctioned nearly Rs 9 lakh for Punia's training abroad, despite being aware of NADA's order.Punia, a Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, was suspended by NADA on April 23 after failing to provide a sample for testing. He claims he did not refuse to give a sample but questioned the use of expired kits.The UWW has updated its system to reflect Punia's suspension, stating that he is suspended until December 31, 2024, for an alleged Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).Despite the suspension, SAI approved Punia's proposal for training in Dagestan, Russia, from May 28. The proposal included travel expenses for his strength and conditioning coach and sparring partner.SAI officials have not responded to requests for an explanation for the decision to sanction Punia's training. Punia confirmed that he had submitted a proposal to SAI but has since canceled his training plans.In the same meeting, SAI also sanctioned training expenses for Sarita Mor and Anshu Malik. Mor will train in the USA, while Malik will train in Japan.If the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) holds a final selection event, Mor will need to win to challenge Anshu Malik, who has already secured an Olympic quota in the women's 57kg category.

The Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) "no needle policy" has come under scrutiny after numerous used syringes were discovered at the main athletics stadium of the Sports Authority of India's center in Lucknow during the 22nd Junior National Federation Athletics Championship.The syringes were found scattered in the men's toilets, which are adjacent to the dope collection rooms at the venue. The identity of the athletes who used the syringes remains unknown, but their presence raises concerns about potential doping violations."We can't keep an eye on every athlete, especially when they lock the toilet doors," said a security guard outside the bathrooms on condition of anonymity. "It's not our responsibility to check every time an athlete comes out of the toilet."The discovery of the syringes on the first day of the prestigious event, which serves as a qualifying championship for the 21st Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Dubai, has shocked organizers."We have no idea how these syringes got into the men's toilet," said PK Srivastava, chief executive officer of the Uttar Pradesh Athletics Association. "We have a strict no-needle policy in athletics, but I will investigate this matter personally."Srivastava confirmed that the AFI has set up a dope control center at the venue, where a team of doctors is deputed for sample collection. A six-member NADA team led by BN Mishra is also stationed there."AFI has set up its dope controlling center at the venue, and so far, nine samples have been received on day one of the three-day championship," said Srivastava. "It's disheartening that some of our athletes still resort to such unethical practices."The presence of the syringes has cast a shadow over the championship and raised questions about the effectiveness of the AFI's anti-doping measures. The incident highlights the need for stricter enforcement of doping regulations and increased education for athletes on the dangers of performance-enhancing substances.