New Delhi, Mar 20: India has excelled in track and field and Neeraj Chopra’s sublime best at the Olympics played a huge role in it, clinching gold for the country in the game of javelin throw, making it obvious for any public authority not to deny his proposal of financial assistance to train at the Gloria Sports Arena, Turkey, for a period of 61 days.
Having such an opportunity, Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) on March 16 approved the gold medalist’s proposal and, similar to last year, under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), will financially aid Chopra’s coach Klaus Bartonietz and his physiotherapist with airfare, boarding and lodging, medical insurance, and local transportation costs during his visit to Turkey on April 1st to 31st, as suggested by a press release made by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) in September 2014, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) aims to improve India’s performance at the Olympics and Paralympics. Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Sports Federation, and Academies and Centres (SAI and NON-SAI) being the stakeholders and being funded through Khelo India, TOPS has to date identified 98 TOPS Core Group athletes across 13 sports disciplines and hockey (men’s and women’s) teams and 165 TOPS Development Group athletes across 12 sports disciplines.
TOPS has even provided funds for foreign training, international competition, equipment, and coaching camp, along with a monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000 for each athlete identified for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.