As we reflect on the Olympic performances, one thing becomes clear: Indian athletes exhibit remarkable fighting spirit, mental fortitude, and an unwavering will to succeed.
Yet, for all their grit, the question lingers—why does India struggle to secure its place as an Olympic superpower?
The Need for Clinical Analysis Over Emotional Reactions
It's easy to react emotionally to a player’s disqualification or a missed opportunity for a gold medal. However, what we need is a clinical analysis of why these setbacks occur and, more importantly, how they can be prevented. Take, for example, the questionable decision to allow a wrestler to compete in an unfamiliar weight category, thereby denying another medal hopeful their chance. Or the perplexing inability of our celebrated javelin thrower to breach the 90m mark, while a neighbouring country, with a fraction of our resources, sets a new record.
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Recurring Patterns and Missed Opportunities
After the Rio Olympics in 2016, I wrote about how most countries departed peacefully, with minimal controversy beyond the usual concerns of drug abuse and Zika. In contrast, India's Olympics were marred by a litany of issues—from Narsingh Yadav’s doping scandal to the sprinter who didn’t have proper shoes, from inadequate facilities to the oversized official delegations. Fast forward to 2024, and not much has changed. We remain a nation of post-mortem specialists, quick to analyse and play politics around what went wrong but slow to implement lasting solutions.
A Culture of Accountability and Strategic Vision
If India is to rise as an Olympic superpower, it is imperative that the government, in collaboration with the governing bodies, opposition parties, state governments, athletes, and their support teams, commits to a strategic Olympic mission. As it stands, much of our efforts seem designed to serve as mere bullet points in the government’s credential presentations. The Rs. 470 crore spent on the 2024 season is, without a doubt, a significant sum—but without a coherent strategy, it risks becoming a recurring expense rather than an investment in our future.
Consider this: India ranks 71st in Olympic standings among 84 countries that managed to win a medal, trailing behind countries like Slovenia, Turkey, and Ethiopia. Despite our spending of around 2% of the GDP of some of these nations for the current season, we’re outperformed by nations with far fewer resources. The current season was expected to be India’s best, 117 participants, competing for 95 potential medal opportunities, of the total 329 medals, and hopes for a double-digit medal haul. Yet, we will end up the season, making this our worst performance compared to Tokyo 2021.
Investment Disparities and the Need for Sports Education
The Rs. 470 crore spent underscores a troubling pattern—sporadic, last-minute investments made without a cohesive strategy. Even within this allocation, disparities are glaring: athletics received Rs. 96 crore, with 29 participants, badminton Rs. 72 crore, 7 participants, while boxing and shooting were allotted Rs. 61 crore each, 6 and 21 participants respectively, Hockey Rs. 41 crore, 19 participants, Archery Rs.39 crore, 6 participants, Meanwhile, wrestling received Rs. 38 crore, 6 participants,
Weight lifting Rs.27 crore, 1 participant and table tennis Rs. 13 crore, 8 participants, Judo Rs.6.5 crore, 1 participant and so on.
Indian Olympics starts have undertaken 377 foreign trips in the last 3 years for training and other event participations. Govt spent 5.75 Cr for Neeraj Chopra’s training alone and for that of PV Sindhu is 3.15 Cr. Satwik-Chirag (Badminton doubles) received training worth 5.62 Cr, while Mirabai Chanu’s (weight lifting) share is 2.75 Cr.
This raises a critical question: How strategic are these investments? What is India doing to cultivate an enduring Olympic ethos? How much are we investing in sports education at the grassroots level?
The composition of our Olympic contingent also reveals stark disparities. Almost 40% of the team come from two states, Haryana and Punjab. Haryana, with a population of 3 crores, produced 24 Olympians—one for every 12.5 lakh people.
Punjab, with 19 athletes, has one Olympian per 16 lakh people. These figures too highlight the need for more inclusive sports development initiatives nationwide.
The Systemic Support Gap
Our athletes, despite having access to better facilities and financial support, often falter at crucial moments. While victories and defeats are part of any competition, consistent success requires more than individual talent—it demands a well-oiled system. No individual wins a business pitch or a school competition alone; these are victories of the organization or institution behind them.
Having observed this first-hand during my children’s inter-school events, I can attest that a robust support system breeds confidence and unity among participants. The same principle applies to our Olympians. The controversies surrounding India’s Olympic performances are symptomatic of a deeper issue—conflicting agendas and a lack of systemic support. Sadly, there are news of power struggles even within governing bodies
When athletes are left to fend for themselves, the essential interdependency that fosters a winning mindset collapses. I suspect that even among our Olympic representatives, there was little sense of unity or shared purpose. Did they rally together with a “go-kill-the-competitor” attitude? Did they meet as a team, celebrate victories, console one another in defeat? Without a system to facilitate these bonds, it’s unlikely.
A Call for a Comprehensive Overhaul
India’s Olympic mindset needs a complete overhaul. We must not allow the failures of yesterday to impede today’s progress. The government should embark on a comprehensive review of the 2024 Olympics, analysing the roles of all officials, player behaviour, and the contributions of Olympic ambassadors.
Here are some concrete steps that could be taken:
1. Thorough Analysis: Conduct an in-depth analysis of the 2024 Olympics, including the performance of officials and the impact of player behaviour.
2. Vision for LA 2028: Develop a strategic vision for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, involving all stakeholders—state bodies, athletes, trainers, sports journalists, and corporate leaders.
3. Talent Recruitment: Identify and nurture a pool of potential talent to represent India in LA 2028, ensuring a rigorous selection process.
4. State-Level Initiatives: Encourage state governments to maximize participation through targeted initiatives.
5. Expert Trainers: Appoint specialized trainers to ensure athletes receive the best possible coaching.
6. Expanded Leadership: Broaden the Olympic Committee and various boards/federations to include external business leaders by invitation for a specific period, with clear, measurable KPIs.
7. Dedicated Support Teams: Assign dedicated teams to support groups of athletes, tracking their progress closely.
8. Pre-Qualifier Events: Organize pre-qualifier events with international participation, sponsorships and media coverage.
9. Team-Building Activities: Conduct team-building exercises and behavioural training to foster unity.
10. Corporate Sponsorships: Offer sponsorship opportunities to corporates and facilitate CSR investment in India’s Olympic vision.
11. Mandatory Sports Education: Make sports education compulsory at the school level, ensuring a strong foundation for future athletes.
12. Inspiring Send-Off: Arrange a motivational send-off for the LA 2028 contingent, with speeches from top government officials, including LOP.
Conclusion: Planting the Seeds for Future Success
As the Chinese proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second-best time is now.” We cannot afford to think about LA 2028 just a few months before the event. With the right talent and a cohesive, selfless effort from both state and central sports administrations, India has the potential to return from Los Angeles as an Olympic superpower.
The real question is, will a million people ever gather to celebrate our athletes returning with a bronze medal in hockey as was done for the cricketers? If the answer is no, it’s time to reflect deeply on why that is. The journey to Olympic greatness begins today—with a unified, strategic, and long-term vision.
