Sports’ has always mesmerized the thrill and adventure of living life! A sportsperson’s life is full of mighty passion and the enthralling moments of victory and loss faced in the game. A sports’ star who has gone through the jinx of financial burden to play the sport knows, how tough it is for him/her to rile up like a lotus!

2016 Rio Olympics: Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Recently, The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of the Sports Ministry announced the inclusion of 39 athletes into it. Under this scheme the athletes will receive financial assistance for their preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics. According to the Press Information Bureau –‘Earlier, the Ministry had named 45 athletes in the Scheme. The Ministry has already given funds of about 1.35 Crore to 10 athletes so far under the Scheme. It has also organised mental training camp of archers under the TOP Scheme’.

At one hand Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is helping India’s fine archers like Deepika Kumari, Tarundeep Rai, Jayanta Talukdar, Mangal Singh Champia, and L. Bombayala Devi. As well as India’s ace shuttler’s like Saina Nehwal, P V Sindhu, P Kashyap, K Srikanth, Guru Saidutt and H S Prannoy are also covered under the TOPS. On the other hand, it has also included the names of six women 400m runners, Priyanka Panwar, Ashwini Akkunji, Jauna Murmu, Sini Jose, Mandeep Kaur and Tiana Mary Thomas, were caught for doping in 2011 and subsequently suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) for two years. Out of which, three of them were part of the gold medal winning 4x400m relay teams in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Some Indian sports personalities have faced tough times and know how difficult it is for them to carry on with their sports career. It’s difficult that other Indian sports unlike ‘Cricket’ would always receive abundance of love and financial stability in the form of ample cricket clubs and from the BCCI (Board of Cricket Control of India) who support the sport fully including the cricketers time and again! No wonder the electrifying short versions like IPL and T-20 cricket has even added the extravagant glamour to the sport.

By far India’s performance in the Olympics hasn’t been disappointing. The budding talent is now being geared up with the help of efficient coaches and support staff which won India in 2012 London Olympics Gold in Badminton and Bronze medal in Boxing. Hopefully in near future The Sports Authority of India will come up with many such finance supportive schemes which will help many athletes to rise up and shine. Only time will tell if the ‘TOPS’ will help the Indian sports personalities in notching the Olympics’ podium of success.

Tags: 2016 Rio Olympics, Indian Sports, Olympics, Press Information Bureau, PTI, SAI, Sports, Sports Authority of India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme, TOPS