The Sports Authority of India has reassigned key duties in its daily work. The N S Johal-led Target Olympic Podium Scheme division now oversees 27 Olympic sports.
The unit must also take up governance issues in national federations when the Sports Ministry asks. The changes came through an order by Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao.
The order said the TOPS division will serve as the main link with National Sports Federations. It will connect SAI with NSFs, associations, and other stakeholders for assigned sports. The division will also handle NSF development proposals and budget matters for these disciplines. SAI said the move aims to streamline work and limit delays.
TOPS Division and Olympic disciplines under Sports Authority of India
From now, TOPS will fully handle aquatics, archery, athletics, badminton, boxing,
canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, squash, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, weightlifting, and wrestling. These 27 disciplines will sit under TOPS operations.
The revised brief also placed major event coordination with TOPS. It will lead overall planning for participation in the Olympic Games and other multi-sport events. These include the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games, and Asian Beach Games. The order ties this role to closer coordination with federations.
TOPS Division and SAI governance coordination with National Sports Federations
TOPS was started in 2014 to support top athletes with training and competition planning. It first focused on priority sports such as boxing, badminton, and athletics. Under the new setup, it will also step in on federation governance matters. This will happen when such issues are formally referred by the Sports Ministry.
N S Johal already heads the Target Asian Games Group, known as TAGG. The order said TAGG will remain in place as a sub-group within TOPS. Johal is also a former Olympian sailor. A top SAI source said the structure was changed to improve coordination and reduce bottlenecks.
TOPS Division and TEAMS division roles inside Sports Authority of India
Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao, who is also the Director General of SAI, assigned other disciplines to a separate unit. The Training of Elite Athletes and Management Support Division, called TEAMS, will run sports outside the TOPS list. This includes Para, Winter, and non-Olympic disciplines, along with related operations.
TEAMS will also handle protocol and awards coordination for SAI. The order placed National Sports Awards work with this division. It will also manage arrangements linked to Republic Day. Duties tied to Rashtrapati Bhawan and Prime Minister Office functions will also remain with TEAMS.
With inputs from PTI
