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News: India won only seven medals in Olympics. Even small nations with fewer people have done better than India.
What are the issues plaguing our sports sector?
Access to infrastructure(like schools and stadiums)- In India, our pool of talent is limited to a few pockets. For example, the badminton team has been picked from an academy; the boxers and wrestlers are all from Haryana or the Northeast; and the shooters are all, with few exceptions, rich kids who don’t need any state support.
No country has performed well in sports without taking care of the basic needs of its people, especially health and social security. India needs to take care of it.
On the lines of the Soviet Union, the US, South Korea, and China, the rise in the sporting world should be preceded by widening the sporting pool from which talented players can be tapped.
We need to change our attitude and not accept second-best anymore. Complacency could creep in when we celebrate bronze medals like gold.
Sports should be seen from the right perspective. It should help the community at large in becoming better by serving a social purpose.
We must create leaders in every field who can think and act, not leaders who think they act.
Source: This post is based on the article “It’s time we produced champions” published in Indian Express on 27th November 2021.
