New Olympic Gold Quest Foundation envisages 5 golds in 2012

Mumbai, Sep 8 (UNI) A few sports enthusiasts along with some corporate heads joined hands today to launch a non-profit organisation to realise every Indian's dream, of a sportsperson from our country winning an Olympic Gold medal.

The organisation, 'Olympic Gold Quest Foundation' was launched here and has Geet Sethi, Prakash Padukone, R Ramaraj, ex-managing director of Sify and Shitin Desai, vice-chairman of DSP Merrill Lynch as the members on its board of directors.

Speaking on the occasion, Geet Sethi said the mission of the organisation will be to identify and support Indian sportspersons with Olympic gold medal winning potential. This will be done in partnership with various National Sports Federations.

He also said that they have envisaged India bagging at least 5 gold medals in the 2012 Olympics and have shortlisted five sports disciplines as starters whom they plan to help. The five disciplines are Archery, Shooting, Athletics, Boxing and Badminton.

He further added that they have formed a Talent Advisory Committee consisting of distinguished sports journalists in Anand Philar, Ayaz Memon, G Rajaram, K P Mohan and Sharda Ugra, who would suggest names of individuals who have the talent but lack funds to realise their dreams of an Olympic medal.

Geet Sethi said the main problem Indian sports has at the moment is lack of enough funds and even though the sports organisations and the government is doing its best, still we need to generate funds to support these sportspersons and this is what we will concentrate at the moment.

He further said that with just two years left for the 2008 Olympics, they have identified only two disciplines which they would provide funds to, -- shooting and athletics, adding the first installment of financial help to the shooting federation for them to go ahead and get the required ammunition required for training have already been released.

Sethi said they would raise funds from corporates and donations from sports enthusiasts. The Foundation would then bring different sports federations who have the expertise in identifying potential candidates but not enough funds for their promotion.

The Foundation after identifying potential candidates will also help these sportspersons train abroad and also get foreign coaches, Sethi said, adding that the sportspersons would also be given scientific training inclding regular help from dietitians, sports psychologists and others.

He, however, added that this was a fluid list and if the talent advisory committee suggests a name of a wrestler or table tennis player we would definitely help them too.

Speaking on shortlisting of the disciplines, Sethi said that a lot of factors - like which sports suit Indians the most have been taken into account while drawing up this short list.

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