Govt revamps funding norms for sports federations to power Olympic vision 2036

IANS May 22, 2025 205 views

The Indian government has launched a comprehensive overhaul of sports federation funding to accelerate Olympic preparation. This strategic move includes substantial increases in financial support for athletes, coaches, and national sports infrastructure. The new framework emphasizes grassroots development and high-performance athlete tracking across various sports disciplines. By 2036, these reforms aim to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse with enhanced training, support, and governance mechanisms.

"Every NSF is now mandated to allocate at least 20% of its annual budget toward junior and youth development" - Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
New Delhi, May 22: In a significant step toward bolstering India's ambitions of becoming a global sporting superpower and potential host of the 2036 Olympic Games, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has unveiled revised norms under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs).

Key Points

1

Increased financial support for national championships and international tournaments

2

Significant hike in coaches' salaries and athlete dietary allowances

3

Mandatory grassroots development and high-performance athlete tracking

This overhaul -- the first since February 2022 -- aligns with the new Olympic cycle post-Paris 2024 and addresses the growing needs and challenges in India's sports landscape.

Reflecting the rising cost of training, infrastructure, equipment, and athlete welfare, the revised norms promise enhanced financial aid across key areas. National Championships will now receive increased support, with High Priority sports eligible for ₹90 lakh and Priority sports for ₹75 lakh -- a significant leap from the earlier ceiling of ₹51 lakh. The budget for hosting international tournaments in India has also doubled, with federations now able to access up to ₹2 crore.

Coaches, often considered the backbone of an athlete's journey, will now see a considerable hike in remuneration. Chief national coaches will be entitled to monthly salaries of ₹7.5 lakh, up from ₹5 lakh, while other coaches will see a rise from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh.

In parallel, dietary charges for athletes have also seen a steep hike. Senior athletes will now receive ₹1000 per day, and juniors ₹850 -- up from ₹690 and ₹480, respectively.

One of the cornerstones of the new framework is the emphasis on grassroots and athlete development. Every NSF is now mandated to allocate at least 20% of its annual budget toward junior and youth development. Federations must also identify a "Probable Group" of athletes -- at both senior and junior levels -- with high-performance potential.

These athletes will be trained at accredited academies chosen through a transparent process and overseen by the sport's High-Performance Director (HPD). Each athlete will receive ₹10,000 per month as a dietary allowance during non-camp periods to ensure nutritional consistency.

To strengthen India's coaching ecosystem, the scheme earmarks 10% of its budget exclusively for coach development. This will support domestic and international training programs, the development of curricula, workshops, and certification courses.

A Coaching Education Expert will be required in every NSF, and foreign experts will be expected to train Indian coaches and officials during their off-training periods, building long-term capacity.

In a push for structured and accountable governance, NSFs with annual budgets exceeding ₹10 crore must appoint a High Performance Director, who will oversee technical development programs. Federations will also be permitted to use up to 10% of their funds to engage professional manpower, including CEOs, competition managers, finance and legal officers, and IT personnel.

Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the sports funding article:
R
Rajesh K.
Finally some concrete steps! The increased focus on junior development is what we needed. Remember how China built its Olympic dominance? They started with school-level programs 30 years ago. Hope our states implement this properly 🤞
P
Priya M.
Good move but implementation is key. Many federations are still run like family businesses. The 10% professional manpower rule must be strictly monitored - we need merit-based appointments, not political favors. Also hope rural athletes get equal access to these benefits.
A
Amit S.
₹1000 daily diet allowance? That's more than what many Indian families spend in a week! While I support athlete welfare, hope there's strict auditing. We've seen too many scams in sports bodies. Transparency is must for public trust.
S
Sunita R.
As a former state-level athlete, I'm emotional seeing this change. The ₹10k monthly allowance for probables will help so many poor talents continue training without financial stress. Just hope selection process is fair - no regional bias!
V
Vikram J.
Hosting Olympics 2036? Ambitious but why not! If Qatar can do it, so can we 🇮🇳 The infrastructure boost alone will create jobs. But we must focus on sports where we have real potential - hockey, wrestling, badminton, not just cricket!
N
Neha T.
Great policy but what about para-athletes? They bring us so many medals yet always get forgotten in funding announcements. Hope there's separate provisions for disability sports infrastructure and training. Inclusion should be priority for 2036 vision.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Your email won't be published


Disclaimer: Comments here reflect the author's views alone. Insulting or using offensive language against individuals, communities, religion, or the nation is illegal.

Tags:
Olympic Vision 2036 Sports Funding Indian Athletes Sports Development Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports