We love to sensationalise, and we love controversy. And, to be honest, controversy sells. A headline which says India is sending 117 athletes and 140 support staff is made for controversy. The immediate understanding is that officials and babus are traveling at government expense and will have a merry time in Paris. With such things a regular occurrence in the past, the media can’t be blamed either.
Things are, however, different this time round. A detailed scrutiny of each of the 140 names reveal that more than 85 per cent of the support staff are coaches, sports scientists, medical teams and physiotherapists, not to forget mental conditioning coaches for the athletes. The effort has been to get to a 1:1 ratio for the athletes so that each one is comfortable and well prepared.
Let me illustrate with a couple of examples. Manu Bhaker, for one, has trained with Jaspal Rana as part of the build-up. Now, if Jaspal wasn’t approved to travel, nothing much could be said. But with Jaspal there, Manu will surely be in her comfort zone. Such things matter and make a real difference in the end. The same could be said of Prakash Padukone and Vimal Kumar in badminton.
With Pullela Gopichand already there as head coach, there was always an argument as to why we needed two extra coaches in Paris. But then, it would be unfair on Gopichand and Sindhu. They haven’t trained with each other in the recent past, and Sindhu has repeatedly said on social media how much of a difference Padukone had made. With him there in her corner, Sindhu will have everything she needs when she is up against the Chinese.
.@Leander and @Maheshbhupathi!
One of the world’s greatest pairs in tennis. So close yet so far for #HeshLee in Athens as they missed the Olympic medal.
Looking back at the glorious Indian tennis pair and their Olympic story with @BoriaMajumdar.@FederalBankLtd @Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NVPFOZr7P2
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) July 19, 2024
Let me take you back to Rio 2016 to drive home the point. Vinesh Phogat was leading 1-0 against the Chinese in the quarterfinal when she got injured. Each one of us present could hear her cry in agony as she was stretchered away. India did not have a proper medical team present, and it was a painful ordeal for the athlete. Such things leave a mark and make things very difficult for the participants.
Clothing is yet another domain where India have been found wanting in the past. I still remember the girls’ quartet running the 4x400m telling us that their jerseys weren’t good enough to wear, even after just one wash. With JSW stepping in as clothing partners and PUMA as footwear partner, such issues are now a thing of the past.
🚨NEWS
Official list of all Indian athletes bound for #Paris2024 @WeAreTeamIndia @Paris2024 #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/NcOfLOujuB
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) July 16, 2024
Coming to sports scientists, we know how critical they can be. Yes, it’s true that you can’t just attach a sports scientist with an athlete for the last few months and expect a miracle, but better late than never. The truth is the babus aren’t going. The truth is officials aren’t going in abundance to make merry. Close to 120 of the support staff are directly related to athletes’ needs, and should help India perform better. Credit should be given where due. If the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) have managed to get this done, it is the job of the media to highlight that rather than simply saying 117 athletes and 140 support staff. Fans need to know the reality, and shouldn’t be given a distorted picture.
No one really knows what will happen in Paris. While each one of us hopes for our best games, it is also true that no prediction can work at the Olympics. But one thing is for sure. India is best prepared and equipped, as we start the final countdown. Only time will tell if the effort put in yields the desired results for the team. Here’s wishing them all the very best for the final seven days of preparation.
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