It is no longer a surprise that India has the highest number of young people in the world. As per verified data by UNICEF, India has 253 million people between the ages of 10 and 19. In simpler terms, around 20 per cent of India’s population are teenagers. These statistics look depressing if we take into account India’s medal tally at the recently held 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The world’s most populated country failed to win a single gold medal. India’s neighbour, China, with a similar demography, managed a stellar tally of medals at the Olympics.
It is interesting to look into the possible causes for India’s woes at the Olympics and in sports in general. Field hockey is one sport in which India dominated the rest of the world for decades at the Olympics. Then suddenly, after 1980, India saw a 40-year wait to get a medal. One of the major causes for India’s inability to get world-class results is that the country has not kept pace with other sporting nations in terms of techniques and training. We then need to probe as to why this is the case.
Modern techniques and training have not reached grassroots India because there is a complete lack of world-class coaches in the country. When that is the case, it is more probable that the country will lack world-class pupils.
Why do we lack good coaches?
A deeper probe into the unavailability of good coaches in India would conclude many interesting and dramatic facts. Take the example of cricket here and in Pakistan. Most of the coaching slots at the highest level are taken up by ex-players who had a great career in the game. Yet, these former great players failed miserably to produce and garner world-class pupils. This is because it is one thing having played the game at the highest level and another thing to teach one generation down the line. The world of sports moves very fast when it comes to new techniques of training. Unfortunately, Indian coaching roles are taken and given on the basis of stardom. It took a South African gentleman to coach the Indian men’s hockey team to success at the 2024 Olympics. South Africa has no international legacy in hockey, yet their coach knew more about the latest demands of the game. This single most important fact is often missed by coaches. Every sport makes new demands with every passing year. New systems of training are required to keep pace with these new demands.
One of the biggest dangers for young learners is being trained by an ill-equipped coach. Many factors contribute to the making of a poor coach. As discussed earlier, the main reason could be that coaches are selected on the basis of their reputation during their playing days. Such coaches exhibit a sheer lack of intent to keep abreast with the latest demands because they are not chosen based on their modern understanding of the game. This is particularly so in the case of cricket in the field of fast bowling. The truth is it is better to be left with no coaching rather than being coached by someone ill-equipped.
Incompetent coaches are not just unaware but could also be dangerous for young learners. Sport is now played almost all round the year. In a previous era, sports were limited to a few international, continental, and zonal competitions. As of today, sports are held full-time all around the globe. This brings tremendous strain on the body of a budding sportsperson. This means that the probability of injury is higher than ever before. Modern coaches need to equip themselves with the latest information regarding injury prevention in young athletes. This requires in-depth knowledge for the coach that can come only when the coach does enough experimentation with modern techniques. This is easier said than done and requires the coach to indulge in self-assessment regarding their knowledge of the ever-changing demands of the sport.
Also read: Indian hockey lacked astro turf, good equipment in 1980s. It took 4 decades to make a comeback
Culture, psyche, ethics
There are several disturbing facts when it comes to the sporting culture in India. Most of India’s sporting federations and bodies are headed by politicians with no background in sport. Most are seen as centres of power. Politicians are eager to head such organisations. In some cases, they have some administrative capability, but they are far removed from any understanding regarding the modern demands of sports.
Then there are the cultural factors in the Indian psyche with regard to diet and nutrition. Certain eating habits are detrimental to producing energy in the human body. These have not been shunned in the Indian context.
One of the biggest factors for India’s poor performance at the Olympics comes in the ethical context. In the continents of Europe, Australasia and the Americas, sports is a way of life. Youngsters are naturally drawn toward sports in a dignified way driven by real interest. In India, except in some subregions of the country like Haryana, sports are taken up not as a hobby but as a tool to attain wealth or achieve fame. This is particularly so in the field of cricket.
It is tragic that a country like India with such a large number of teenagers does not excel at the Olympics.
Kush Singh @singhkb is founder, The Cricket Curry Tour Company. Views are personal.