IOA chief to meet NSFs early next year to plan Olympics strategy

Narinder Batra

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra will meet the office bearers of 33 National Sports Federations early next year to chart out a plan to produce the country's best-ever show in 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games.

In a letter to all the 33 NSFs which will represent India at the Tokyo Olympics, Batra has expressed his desire to hold the meetings. "In the early part of 2020, I would like to have a one-on-one meeting with President and Secretary General of the 33 NSFs to discuss for Tokyo and also their planning for Paris 2024," Batra wrote in his letter.

The IOA chief reminded the NSFs that there will be no reason for excuse if the Indian athletes fail to live upto the countrymen's expectations in Tokyo and Paris. "The government has opened its heart in supporting athletes in preparation for 2020 and also 2024. I feel it is time for the NSFs to plan out things and strategise how we can give our best to make the country proud in 2020 and 2024 Olympics," Batra said in his communication.

The IOA head has set an ambitious target of achieving double-figure medals at the Tokyo Olympics, stating earlier that if India wants to bid for 2032 Games, the country's athletes need to target 25 medals in 2024 and 35-40 medals in 2028 edition of the sporting extravanganza. India's best performance came at 2012 London Olympics when it secured six medals. At 2016 Rio, India bagged just two.

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