Target Olympics Podium Scheme

Why in news?

• Sports Ministry has approved the proposal of the four Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) sailors towards foreign training and competitions.

About Target Olympics Podium Scheme:

• Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme was formulated in 2014 under overall ambit of National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) with the aim to identify, groom and prepare potential medal prospects for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• It is launched under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• A committee (TOPS Elite Athletes’ Identification Committee) was established to identify the elite athletes who could place on the Olympic podium in order to achieve the scheme’s goal
• High priority category has been created to put focus on those sports disciplines played in the Olympics in which India has won medals in the last conducted Asian Games as well as Commonwealth Games or in which India has a good chance of winning medals.
• Presently, nine sports disciplines have been categorised as ‘High Priority’.
  • (i) Athletics
  • (ii) Badminton
  • (iii) Hockey
  • (iv) Shooting
  • (v) Tennis
  • (vi) Weightlifting
  • (vii) Wrestling
  • (viii) Archery
  • (ix) Boxing

Other features of TOPS:

• The chief objective of the scheme is to provide financial assistance and other help to athletes in their pursuit of medals in the Olympics and other international sporting events.
• Under this scheme, athletes and sportspersons will get customized training from top coaches at modern and well-equipped sports facilities and institutions.
• The sportspersons are also given assistance for buying sport-specific equipment.
• They are also provided with help in participating in international sporting events and also for the appointment of their support staff such as physiotherapists, sports psychologists, physical trainers, etc.
• The selected athletes and sportspersons are also given an out-of-pocket allowance of a certain sum as an incentive.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements regarding ‘Target Olympics Podium (TOP) Scheme’:

1. It is launched under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

2. The scheme provides financial assistance to athletes

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer