Prepare harder for 2016 Olympics, Sonowal pledges to Asian medal winners

Speaking at the felicitation programme to the Medal Winners of Incheon Asian Games at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, Sonowal lauded the athletes for their performance, but at the same time reminded them that India’s total medal tally dipped in respect to 2010 Games.

He said, “It is such a great pleasure to greet all the athletes who won laurels for the country in the Asiad, 2014.”

Sports Minister said, “In the recently concluded Asian Games, we finished in the 08th position with 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze medals. This, I must confess, is below our expectation. This only shows that the competition in the international arena is getting tougher and tougher day-by-day and if we have to retain the top positions, we will have to work harder, faster and stronger. No athlete, even if he or she is a medal winner in the Asiad, can rest on his or her laurels because there are athletes in other parts of the world who are striving harder to better their performances. This implies that there can be no rule for complacency and we need to put in our extra efforts and cross that extra mile to achieve excellence in sports.”

He urged the athletes to work harder for the next Olympiscs due in 2016.

“As you all know, the Olympics-2016 is just round the corner. This is the time when we should take a solemn pledge that we will strive every nerve and muscle to bring glory to the nation in the coming Olympics. If our neighboring countries like China, Japan, South Korea and Kazakhstan could all do better than us, there is no reason why we should lag behind,” Sonowal said.

He said, “The Sports Authority of India has been giving excellent training facilities. We have appointed 33 foreign coaches, given all of you sufficient foreign exposure and provided best equipment that are available. Recently, I along with the Director General, Sports Authority of India, visited a private University in Chennai to see the sports facilities they have created. I was amazed. I never knew that such facilities are available in our country. SAI has now entered into a MoU with this University to send their athletes batch by batch so that their proper profiling could be done. We want to make use of the best technological advances made in the field of Bio-mechanics, Sports Sciences, Sports Psychology and Recovery so that athletes could perform better. I have asked the DG, SAI to create similar facilities in at least 05 Centers in India.”

Sonowal asserted that Centre will leave no stone unturned to ensure the best ever facilities for our sportspersons.

He said: “Let me assure you that the Government of India will leave no stone unturned to ensure the best ever facilities for our sportspersons. We are also determined to clean up the system which is often criticized for its lack of professionalism and many unethical behaviors. There can be no gains without pains. I, on behalf of all in the Sports Ministry and SAI, congratulate all the medal winners. A special word of praise is for the Indian Hockey Team which won the Gold medal beating Pakistan in a nerve racking final. I am confident that all of you will put in your best efforts and work harder to bring bigger glory to the nation.”

During this occasion he announced that Centre will disperse additional fund to encourage sports in the country.

Sonowal said, “An additional grant of Rs.450/- Crore was made by our Prime Minister to encourage sports, which were unheard of in the past and this initiative was taken, for the first time.”