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SAI expects top coaches to work for Rs 25,000 per month

Even as the Centre is spending hundreds of crores on its ambitious Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to prepare athletes for the 2016 Rio Olympics, one of the most essential areas continues to be ignored.

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Even as the Centre is spending hundreds of crores on its ambitious Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) to prepare athletes for the 2016 Rio Olympics, one of the most essential areas continues to be ignored.

According to its own estimate compiled by the Union sports ministry's nodal agency last year, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is at least 1,000 coaches short across all disciplines. And on Wednesday, the SAI invited applications for appointment of 119 coaches on a one-year contract basis "with an aim to augmenting the availability of coaches in selected disciplines".

Also, SAI expects these coaches to work for Rs 25,000 a month. SAI termed the appointments it as a "mass recruitment drive", but the moot question which remains to be answered is: will the appointment of just 100-odd coaches for such a petty amount serve any purpose when the shortfall is of around 1,000 coaches, and that too, when the Olympics is just 15 months away?

Currently, the SAI employs only 1,154 coaches for more than 11,000 athletes who train at its 100-plus centres across the country.

"It has always been our aim to prepare sportspersons to participate in international competitions and excel in sports and coaching is an important part of the whole process. So, this is a step towards strengthening the coaching cadre in the country," SAI DG Injeti Srinivas said.

These coaches will be appointed in 24 disciplines, which include boxing, archery, football, wrestling and weightlifting besides three coaches for its Special Area Games centres at Port Blair and Nicobar Islands in cycling, canoeing & kayaking and rowing disciplines.

The core disciplines — which include sports such as boxing, badminton, wrestling, shooting among others — are not directly affected because of the substantial funding they get from the sports ministry. They have the muscle to employ coaches directly without depending on SAI. However, the lesser sports, such as fencing, karate, rowing and wushu are the ones which do not enjoy the same privilege and are severely impacted.

Lack of coaches is not the only issue SAI is facing. The coaching syllabus, too, is outdated. In fact, it has not been upgraded even once in last two decades at least.

"For the last two to three years, SAI is facing acute shortage of coaches due to retirement of coaches in different sports disciplines under its various sports promotional schemes. Enough coaches are thus not available for posting outside SAI schemes and establishments. Also, the dearth of accredited coaches also multiplies our problem," a senior SAI administrator told dna.

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