Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has said that talent identification and grooming of identified sportspersons and teams, including those from rural areas of the country, for their participation in international sports events, including Olympics 2028, is done under the Khelo India Scheme and sports promotional schemes of Sports Authority of India. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today, Mr Thakur said, preparation of Indian sportspersons and teams for international events, including Olympics 2028, is a continuous process. He said, talented sportspersons are provided competitive exposure and training under the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs and Target Olympic Podium Scheme, TOPS.

The Minister said, under TOPS, customized training is provided to the medal probables for international events, including Olympics 2028. He said, training and competition requirements of various sports including those of Olympics are considered and decided as part of the Annual Calendar of Training and Competitions in consultation with the concerned National Sports Federations and SAI.

In reply to another question, Mr Thakur said, at present, 147 individual athletes and Men and Women hockey teams as the core group have been selected under the TOPS. He said, a high priority category of sports discipline has been identified to put focus on and incentivize 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 in the upcoming Olympics.

The Minister said, a High-Level Committee has been constituted to oversee the preparation of Indian contingent for the Tokyo Olympic Games.