Back on track – P.T. Usha can create a road map for India’s bid for the Olympics in the 2030s

Source: The post is based on the article “Back on track – P.T. Usha can create a road map for India’s bid for the Olympics in the 2030s” published in The Hindu on 12^th November 2022.

Syllabus: GS – 2 – Sports sector governance.

Relevance: About improving India’s sports sector.

News: Recently, P.T. Usha was appointed as the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She becomes the first woman president of the IOA and was declared elected unopposed for the top post in the polls.

Note: P.T. Usha was a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and fourth-place finisher in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles final. She is fondly known as the ‘Payyoli Express’. 

What is the significance of the recent IOA election?

a) P.T. Usha’s election busts the patriarchal inherent in many sports hierarchies across India, b) The IOA is an umbrella organisation for sports bodies in India. So, IOA can now deal with sister associations lost in dissent, and c) The IOA is expected to create a road map for Olympics in the 2030s.

What are the challenges with the sports sector in India?

1) Stadiums are leased out for housing loan expos or music concerts, 2) Age-fudging and doping are harsh realities for young Indian athletes, 3) Many Indian athletes try to win medals at the zonal, age-group and national levels just to seek jobs. This is because medals often secure a career opening in public sector units, banks and a few corporates.

How India is promoting the sports sector in India?

The Government’s leaning on the soft power of sports. For instance, the Sports Authority of India’s initiatives and corporate-backed academies both promote the soft power of sports.

Now, India is beginning to aspire for gold beyond the Asian realm. Both Neeraj Chopra and Abhinav Bindra’s performances in the Olympics are examples that the skill sets are there in India. If support is provided better, then India can win medals at the International level.