The Indian Sports Ministry is going to build Olympic training centers across the country on the lines of Japan. These centers will be built with the help of corporates. BCCI will take responsibility of 2-3 of these centers. Work on this plan will start this year. BCCI put forward this proposal in a meeting with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday. 58 members of the corporate world participated in this meeting. A source in the Sports Ministry said- ‘In this meeting organized to decide the participation of the corporate world for the development of Olympic sports, a proposal has been made to open Olympic centers in the country on the lines of Japan. In this, BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla said that the board is ready to take responsibility of two-three sports and the ministry will decide which sports they will be.’ Training of one Olympic sport in each center
Training will be done for one Olympic sport in each center. Keeping in mind the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, 100 to 200 talented players of that sport will be provided modern training facilities and specialists at one place. It is being told that the ministry has taken inspiration from the Olympic centers of Japan, America and Australia. From where many Olympic medalists have emerged. Players of Indian origin will be selected
To strengthen Indian sports, especially tennis and football, it is also being considered to give the eligibility of selection in the national team to players of Indian origin living abroad. This was banned in 2008 and only Indian passport holders can play for India. However, the talks are still in the very early stage and advice is being taken from all the parties. BCCI has helped before as well
This is not the first time that BCCI has contributed to the development of other sports. Earlier, the board had given Rs 50 crore to the National Sports Development Fund in 2008. Not only this, the board had given Rs 8.5 crore to the Indian Olympic Association before the Paris Olympics last year. Apart from this, the board also gave prize money of Rs 4 crore to the medal winners of Tokyo Olympics 2021.
