Bindra Task Force against turning NIS Patiala into National Sports Academy

new delhi: Asked to evaluate the idea of broad-basing Patiala’s prestigious National Institute of Sports as an academy for training of sports administrators, a Sports Ministry-instituted Task Force chaired by Olympic hero Abhinav Bindra has rejected the proposal, calling it a “restrictive and unsustainable” plan.

The Task Force on Capacity Building of Sports Administrators was constituted under Bindra, the 2008 Olympic gold-winning former rifle shooter, by the Sports Ministry to design a “future-ready, sustainable, and professional governance system for Indian sport”.

It was also mandated to assess the idea of establishing a National Academy for Sports at NS NIS (Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports) in Patiala which would be dedicated to “capacity building” of sports administrators.

The NS NIS is a highly-rated training facility for boxing, weightlifting, and athletics besides being a premier institute for diplomas in coaching.

“While the idea of a single National Academy is well-intentioned, it risks becoming restrictive and unsustainable,” the nine-member panel noted.

“While NSNIS is rightly regarded as the premier institute for sports coaching, its privileged status has also created unintended consequences. Recruiters in Central and State services, as well as PSUs, tend to give preference almost exclusively to NSNIS-trained coaches, limiting opportunities for graduates of other credible institutions,”

it pointed out.

“In some cases, even internationally certified coaches are not considered eligible for government or PSU roles. Designating NSNIS as the National Academy for Sports Administrators risks replicating this imbalance in the field of sports governance,” it added.