Medal Target for Rio 2016 The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has not set a sports wise medal target for the country in the forthcoming Rio Olympics 2016. However, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Hockey, Shooting, Tennis and Wrestling are the focused disciplines from the point of view of Indias chances of winning medals at Rio Olympics. He said, Preparations for the Rio Olympic Games 2016 are going on in right earnest. Government is making every effort to provide high quality training and coaching to Indian sportspersons and teams so that they win maximum number of medals and make the country proud. Identified medal prospects are being provided financial assistance for their customized training at Institutes having world class facilities and other necessary support under the Target Olympic Podium (TOP) Scheme, which the Government specifically formulated and launched in 2014 under the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) with the objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects for Rio Olympics 2016 and Olympic Games 2020. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today the Minister said, further, National coaching camps are being organized and competitive exposure abroad is being provided to the identified probables so that more and more sportspersons qualify for participation in Rio Olympics 2016 and put up their best performance in the Olympic Games.
