Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said for India to become a sporting powerhouse, the athletes will have to win more medals in big events and inspire the youth to take up Olympic sports, PTI reported.
“We are a big country, we shouldn’t lag behind in any discipline in Olympics. We need to be at the top and not at the back. A developing nation like India must focus on Olympic sports,” Rijiju said while he received the torch of the Special Olympics International Football Championship 2019, to be held in Chennai from August 3 to 6.
Rijiju said that as sports minister, his focus is to ensure maximum participation and medals from the Indian athletes in next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
He added, “I have mentioned in the Parliament that our preparation for Tokyo Olympics is going well,” he said. “I am monitoring it myself. We are coordinating with each and every federation. I am also talking to all the TOPS athletes to ensure maximum number of Indian athletes qualify for the Olympics.
“And once we qualify, our target will be to win medals. In Rio Olympics we got just a silver and a bronze. After that the prime minister has formed a task force, whose recommendations we have got.”
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