New Delhi: Unsparing on the under-performing shooters but equally scathing on coaches and the national federation, the Abhinav Bindra-led NRAI review committee hardly minced words as it chastised the Rio Olympics flop show while recommending a systematic overhaul.
The four-member committee, which had former Asian Games gold medallist tennis player Manisha Malhotra as convener, has come out with a damning 36-page report reviewing the performance.
The committee concluded that the consistent trickle of shooting medals since the 2004 Athens Games ended up making everyone involved in the sport very complacent. “Everyone took it for granted that there would be progress automatically, and forgot to ensure a systematic healthy process,” the report stated.
“To sum up the deliberations of the committee it can be said with no reservations that Indian shooting ‘over achieved’ at the Rio Olympic Games. The formula for success was wrong and Indian shooting had ridden its luck over the last few years, no doubt helped by some extremely talented shooters,” it added.
The review report also pulled up some of the shooters and coaches. It said that 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Gagan Narang went to Rio carrying a heel injury and after failing to comply with the training schedule set up by coach Stanislas Lapidus. “The coach repeatedly informed the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) regarding Narang’s injury. But it had no effect,” said the report.
The four-member panel also mentioned in the report that talented shooter Jitu Rai’s failure to win a medal at Rio was largely due to the inability of foreign coach Pavel Smirnov.
“The committee feels that foreign coach Pavel Smirnov did not have the expertise in the precision events to help Jitu Rai win an Olympic medal. Prior to the Olympics, Rai had to come up with his own training schedule. Keeping in mind Rai’s talent, everyone took a medal for granted. That doesn’t happen in case of the Olympics,” the report said.
It also blamed women shooters Heena Sidhu and Apurvi Chandela of not training properly under Smirnov. “Sidhu should first decide on her event; whether she should continue with the 10m or 25m air pistol event. By naming her husband Ronak Pandit as coach she disregarded the schedule set up by Smirnov,” said the report. “She has to fall in line, take some tough calls and train with the national coach,” it added.
About Ayonika Paul, the report said: “There were two coaches working with her, Thomas Farnik and Suma Shirur… the committee feels that Paul’s approach to the Olympics shows the flip side of allowing athletes, especially young ones, the power to chalk their own course. They are clearly not equipped or mentally ready to shoulder the responsibility.
“The projection of Farnik as the coach and Shirur only as a mentor, was purely for financial gains. The records and documents presented to the committee proved that Suma was the full time coach. There has to be absolute honesty of effort while preparing for the Olympics.”
Press Trust of India