Question : Selection of Players

(a) whether the sports authorities exercise their autonomy in selection of players for various games/ competitions and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether there is any special provision to encourage talented players belonging to weaker sections for various international sports competitions;
(c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the efforts made by the Government in this regard; and
(d) the various other steps taken by the Government to encourage the players for the said competitions and to improve their level of excellence?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
[SHRI KIREN RIJIJU]

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOKSABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 156 FOR REPLY ON 11.02.2021 ASKEDBY SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATELREGARDING SELECTION OF PLAYERS

(a) Yes Sir, Sports Associations &Sports Federations enjoy full autonomy inselection of sportspersons for various games and events. The Government does not interferein the selection process for sportspersons.
(b) to (d) The schemes of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports viz. Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) support the identified promising sportspersons, including those belonging to weaker sections of the society, in terms of modern sports sciences, foreign exposure under experts of respective sports disciplines and participation in international events / competitions recognized by the Indian Olympic Committee (IOC). Apart from this, Sports Authority of India (SAI), under this Ministry has established 23 National Centres of Excellence (NCoE) across the country to impart specialized training to promising athletes by providing state of the art infrastructure and training facilities, sports science backup, diet prescribed by nutritionists with overall supervision of the best coaches, qualified support staff and High Performance Directors.
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