The Sports ministry's ambitious Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme is a non-starter as many top athletes are opposed to the idea of cutting ties with private organisations in run-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The Sports ministry's ambitious Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme is a non-starter as many top athletes are opposed to the idea of cutting ties with private organisations in run-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The voices of discontent have already begun to surface against the new policy which forces the athletes to cut off ties with private organisations – that are providing them the technical and monetary support – and work solely in collaboration with the government.
dna has reliably learnt that the Sports ministry had sent out contracts to some of the country's top sportspersons – including all six medal winners from the London Olympics – out of the 75 hand-picked athletes under the scheme for their acceptance to start getting funding from the government. So far, none of the athletes has so far signed and returned the document to the Ministry citing lack of clarity over the implementation of the scheme.
A majority of the elite athletes identified under the proposed sports policy have started questioning the rationale behind launching the scheme with certain contentious clauses that may be counter-productive to their pursuit of Olympic dreams.
The scheme's 'terms and conditions' have become the major cause of confrontation between the athletes and the Ministry, which seek to block the external support the Olympic medal hopefuls have been getting from not-for-profit organisations like the Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), Anglian Medal Hunt and Jindal Sports Foundation.
dna spoke to some of the wrestlers and boxers indentified under the TOP scheme to know their stance. While some have decided to opt out of the scheme, others have agreed in principle to join the project but were awaiting clarification from the government.
Are medal winners opting for TOP?
dna has learnt that all six medal winners from last Games – Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Gagan Narang, Vijay Kumar, MC Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal – supported by the OGQ, and a couple of shooters and track and field athletes funded by the Anglian aren't too sure about switching their loyalties from their current backers to the government.
Where are athletes getting funds from?
The government has been funding these athletes through its National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), but it's also a fact that these external agencies have been providing specialised support to their athletes – be it medical, technical or mind training – through their earmarked Olympic Games funds.
What are our top players' stand?
Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar confirmed to dna that the ministry has approached him. "But, I will only think of signing the contract only if I am assured of receiving prompt and effective assistance for my Olympic preparation," he said. Another London Games medallist said on condition of anonimity: "I don't want to get into a situation where I have to struggle in getting clearances for routine things from the government. I am not signing the contract in its present state."
Why are the players apprehensive?
Players feel that while on one hand the ministry has been seeking corporate support, on the other it is trying to discourage the external support through restrictive clauses. Also, if the athlete fails to qualify for the Rio Olympics, the support will cease after the last qualification event. On termination of the grant, the athlete may have to refund the unutilised funds. However, if the athlete wants to get out of the contract with the government, he or she has to give a 30-day notice and refund the entire grant amount.
What is the Sports ministry stand?
Seeking to allay fears of the athletes, Sports secretary Ajit Mohan Sharan told dna that the government would not stop them from receiving additional funding from the private organisations. "Some of them have issues regarding the scheme. We have decided not to stop them from receiving additional funding from the private organisations," he said adding: "If we are spending Rs 75-50 lakh on each individual to groom them for Olympics, why would we object to him/her getting a help of Rs 10-15 lakh from these agencies."
What is the ministy objective?
The ministry only want all the athletes under the scheme to become part of the publicity campaigns. "The athletes would also be required to wear 'TOP' clothing and accessories during training and public events, apart from acknowledging the support of the NSDF in public," clarified the Sports secretary.
How much has govt earmarked for TOP scheme?
The ministry has earmarked around Rs 40 crore for the scheme this year in addition to Rs 100 crore from the NSDF. If everything goes right, the ministry is likely to launch scheme officially later this month.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}