TOPS in crisis as chairman Anurag Thakur resigns
Anurag Thakur, Chairman of Target Olympic Podium scheme (TOPS), has resigned from his position close on the heels of the high profile exit of ace shooter Abhinav Bindra, according to report. Speculations indicate that the move was triggered by the Sports Ministry’s decision to hand over the initiative to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
According to Indian Express, Anurag Thakur, also the secretary of BCCI, submitted his resignation last week after being 'suggested' to do so by the Sports Ministry. Express also reported that the TOP scheme has now been handed over to SAI and its director general Injeti Srinivas will replace Thakur as the chairman.
“It won’t be overstating that we are in a state of crisis when it comes to the TOPS. The ministry has not been able to live up to the expectations, and the delays just months before the Olympics defeated the purpose of the scheme,” an unnamed senior ministry official was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
“The charge is now with director general of SAI but they are already over-burdened with a lot of other things. The minister will review the scheme and there will be an attempt to find solutions so that the delays can be erased.”
Thakur's decision comes just a week after Abhinav Bindra stepped down from his role in the committee. “Due to paucity of time (the Olympic Games are 10 months away) I will not be able to make a meaningful contribution as a member to the TOPS. I don’t feel it right to continue as a member. Hence I have resigned from the committee a few minutes ago,” Bindra posted on Twitter on October 29.
The Sports Ministry has recently faced severe criticism for bureaucracy in the process of funding athletes training for the Olympic qualifiers. Trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi was reportedly denied funds, originally sanctioned to him, to train in Italy for the Olympic qualifiers. Bindra had criticised the incident, saying athletes should not be subjected to such treatment.
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