New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) announced on Wednesday that a new core group of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the next Olympic cycle will be drawn up from among the country’s finest athletes after the previous one was dissolved at the end of the Tokyo Games.
“Inclusion of India’s elite athletes in the Core Group of the TOPS for the next Olympic cycle is being discussed with NSFs by SAI ahead of the meeting scheduled in October to finalize the fresh list of athletes in the TOPS Core Group,” according to release of SAI.
“The Core Group list, which was dissolved at the end of the Olympics and Paralympics, will be drawn up again at a meeting which will have representatives from national sports federations and the Indian Olympic Association as its members,” the release further said.
This year’s Tokyo Games witnessed India’s unparalleled success since the country bagged seven medals, including a historic gold in athletics, due largely to the financial backing provided to the athletes through TOPS, which was formed in 2014.
Before its meeting next month, the SAI said it is in talks with the National Sports Federations to finalize the new roster of athletes in the TOPS core group.
The SAI also stated that once the list of TOPS core group members is finalized, appropriate support would be offered to the selected athletes in accordance with the scheme’s rules.
Last year, TOPS added a Developmental Group to help develop promising athletes for future Olympics. The next Olympic Games will be held in Paris in 2024.
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