No stone left unturned in preparation for Tokyo Olympics: Pullela Gopichand

It is natural for Indian athletes to build up their confidence rapidly as they finalize their preparations for the Olympic Games beginning in Tokyo next month. One can see and feel the impatience with immense confidence and enthusiasm in India’s renowned sportspersons, which shows their thorough preparedness despite the pandemic and the challenges it has created.

But where is this aura of assurance coming from? Each of the 125 athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics, postponed for a year and now being held in tough conditions, has left no stone unturned to be physically, emotionally and competitively ready before the Games begin.

It is fair to say that our badminton players, who got the chance to qualify for the Olympics, got the support they wanted. Today, helping every badminton player who qualify; An overseas coach, a physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning coach. This situation is very different from the time when there was no system of such individual attention to the player. This is a position that even top nations aspire to.

I am reminded of ‘Rio 2016’, when the Prime Minister encouraged the players to give 100 per cent performance going forward, despite the Indian contingent not getting the desired results. I was part of the Olympic task force they assigned to Rio. I can see that Indian sport is beginning to change and there is a keen interest being taken from the highest level to the grassroots level to create a positive and more professional environment in the context of sports in the country.

As a notable change, India has put athletes first and through Sports Authority of India has ensured that all their needs are met. The pace of reform has been increased because everyone has acted considering it as urgent. Its sole aim was to help the athletes get well prepared for the biggest celebration of the sport.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, coordinating with the National Sports Federations and the Indian Olympic Association, ensured that the contracts of coaches are extended. National camps were re-organized in a safe manner at centers of excellence across the country.

I am hoping and wishing that the efforts made for the Tokyo Olympics will be successful. This could prove to be a turning point for us as we have invested a lot in our athletes. Another positive benefit of this will be that the youth will get more motivation to take up sports, which will increase the prestige of the country. In fact this is an opportunity for us to bring a sense of happiness to people’s faces in the time of COVID-19 pandemic.