The Games begin

FOOTBALL, archery, handball and rugby sevens events have already kicked off before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. The 19-day spectacle will see 10,500 athletes from over 200 nations compete in 329 events across 32 disciplines. Aiming to attract a younger audience, breaking, skateboarding, surfing and sports climbing are being introduced. The seven-medal tally at Tokyo 2020 represented India’s most triumphant Olympics performance. The US topped with 113 medals, followed by China at 89 and the Russian Olympic Committee at 71. This time, more than 100 athletes are representing India across 16 disciplines in 69 medal events. As we cheer for the contingent, some questions will continue to be asked — why do some countries win more medals, and what explains the gap in the level of athletic prowess?

Raw talent and dedication are huge factors, but nothing can beat training and support. The ability to reach athletic potential depends upon the opportunities afforded to train in world-class facilities with top coaching. A country’s GDP, studies have shown, is the single best predictor of its performance. In the case of the former Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries, their athletic success was attributed to the forced mobilisation of resources. The Union sports budget this year is Rs 3,442 crore, with the biggest share of Rs 900 crore allocated for Khelo India. Several states now offer cash rewards and jobs for medallists. Funding star athletes’ training abroad is no more unusual. Is it enough? Not by any yardstick, certainly not for a country hoping to host the Games.

While the need for wholehearted investment cannot be overstated, protests by top women wrestlers in the recent past exemplify the systemic flaws in Indian sport administration. The politician-bureaucrat hold has proved difficult to break.