India’s Paris Olympics Performance- Challenges and Way Forward

India’s Paris Olympics Performance fell short of its last Tokyo Olympics performance. India failed to improve on its last Olympics medal haul of seven medals. India finished with six medals, with its ranking in the medals tally slipping from 48th place in 2021 to 71st place in 2024. For a nation of 1.4 billion, our return of one silver and 5 bronze is very mearge.

In this article, we will delve into India’s performance at the Paris Olympics, the hits, and the misses. We will analyze the reasons behind India’s underperformance at the biggest sporting spectacle at the globe. We will also delve into the measures that will make India a sporting powerhouse in the future.

How was India’s performance at the Paris Olympics 2024? What were the hits and misses?

About the Paris Olympics- The Summer Olympic Games 2024 branded as the Paris Olympics 2024, is an international multi-sport event that occurred from 24 July to 11 August 2024 in France. Paris was the host city of these games. The official motto of the olympics is- Games Wide Open. The games saw the participation of 10,714 athletes, from 206 nations, in 329 events in 32 different sports. Paris 2024 featured the debut of breaking as an Olympic sport.

Top Performing Nations- The United States topped the medal table with 40 gold medals and 126 medals in total. China finished second, with 40 gold medals and 91 medals overall. Both USA and China were tied in terms of gold medals. This is also the first time that there has ever been a tie in gold medals at the top of the table in Summer Olympic history. Japan finished third with 20 gold medals and sixth in the overall medal count.

India’s Performance at the Paris Olympics- India was placed at 71st position in the medals table. India’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a mixed bag. India saw both successes and disappointments.

Hits of India’s performance

1. Back to Back Medal in athletics- Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw. With this, he became the third Indian to claim two consecutive individual medals.

2. Spirited performance in Shooting- Shooters Manu Bhaker (25m sports pistol), Swapnil Kusale (50m rifle 3-position), and the mixed team pair of Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker (10m air pistol) won bronze medals.

3. Bankable Wrestling- Wrestler Aman Sehrawat won a bronze medal. Wrestling has never disappointed Indian sports fan since 2008, with ensuring at least one medal at each Olympic’s event.

4. Rise of Indian Hockey- The Indian men’s hockey team secured a bronze medal. Indian hockey is on the rise again, with 2 back to back medals at the Olympics.

Misses in India’s performance

1. Lack of Gold Medal- While the country matched its London 2012 tally, securing six medals (one silver and five bronze), the lack of a single gold medal was a major letdown. Pakistan, with a considerably smaller contingent side, finished with a gold medal and a higher standing at the points table.

2. Disqualification of Vinesh Phogat- The unexpected disqualification of Vinesh Phogat, after reaching the women’s 50kg wrestling final, denied India a gold or silver medal.

3. Six 4th Place Finishes- Six 4th place finishes denied India six potential bronze medals. Shooters Arjun Babuta (10m air rifle) and the mixed team pair of Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Maheshwari Chauhan (skeet), the archery mixed team pair of Ankita Bhakat and B. Dhiraj, shuttler Lakshya Sen, and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu lost their respective bronze medal contests.

4. Disappointed performances in badminton, boxing, and archery- Boxers Nishant Dev and Lovlina Borgohain lost in the quarterfinals, just a step away from securing a medal. Badminton which has been delivering medals for India since 2012, drew a blank. Disappointment with archery continued at the Olympics.

What are the reasons behind India’s underpar Paris Olympics performance?

1. Mismanagement of Athletes- There are issues of mismanagement and inadequate support provided to athletes. For ex- Vinesh Phogat’s unexpected disqualification after reaching the finals, highlights systemic failures in athlete management.

2. Lack of Consistency and Performance Pressure- The six 4th place finishes highlight the lack of consistency and the attitude of succumbing to performance pressure. For ex- Several athletes had leads in their matches but failed to convert them into victories due to performance pressure and lack of adequate mental strengthening.

3. Issues with sports federation- Indian sports federations suffer from politicization, and systemic rot of favoritism and corruption. The reservation system in sports administration often lead to inefficiencies and the selection of less capable candidates. For ex- The mess of Indian sports federations are highlighted in the confusion of Phogat’s weight category and Nikhat Zareen’s lack of match-day training.

4. Inadequate Infrastructure and Training Facilities- Indian sports typically suffer from challenges such as insufficient access to high-quality coaching, training programs, and competitive exposure, as compared with other top sporting nations.

5. Celebrity driven sports funding- While the spending on elite athletes was generous, however it was celebrity-driven and without foresight. A lot of celebrity Indian Olympians failed to ensure accountability by failing to put in their season’s best or personal best performances.

6. Cultural and Systemic Barriers- The cultural emphasis on academic success over sports has historically limited the pool of athletes pursuing sports as a career.

7. Inconsistent Government Support- Despite improvements in sports funding and support, the prioritization of sports education and infrastructure remains low compared to other pressing social issues. This lack of long-term investment in sports development hinders the growth of a robust sports culture in India.

What Government initiatives have been launched to improve India’s performance at the Olympics? 

What Should be the Way Forward to improve India’s performance at the Olympics?

1. Broad basing into other sports- India should ensure of sending a larger pool of athletes at the olympics 2028, by broad-basing into swimming and athletics. The top athletes of badminton, weightlifting, wrestling, and boxing must keep up with their medal marks.

2. Ending bureaucratic dominance and corruption- Indian sports bodies and federations must be depoliticized. The establishment of professionalism in the operations of these bodies will help in identification of right talent, their grooming and success at the highest level.

3. Mental conditioning- India should not see the six fourth-place finishes as the speck of morning light that promises a sparkling dawn. These near-misses need to be minutely analyzed for meltdowns under pressure. More mental conditioning coaches need to be employed.

4. Collaborative effort- Indian sports needs to go into a huddle. The important stake-holders- federations, Sports Authority of India, Sports Ministry and other NGOs- need to pull in the same direction. Olympic medals need a process and persistence with top names, at least over a couple of cycles.

5. Integration of Sports in the Curriculum- Sports and physical education should be integrated into the school curriculum from an early age. As highlighted in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, sports should be seen as integral to experiential learning, promoting physical and psychological well-being.

6. Establishment of a National Sports Education Board- Creation of a National Sports Education Board (NASECA) would help standardize sports education across the country. This body can oversee the development and implementation of a national sports curriculum.

7. Promotion of a Sports Culture- Sports culture is significant to shift societal attitudes to view sports as a legitimate career path and not just a pastime. This can be instituted through community engagement, media campaigns, and school initiatives.