Government Athlete Support Schemes

India supports athletes through a mix of talent-identification schemes, financial assistance, and governance reforms. These measures cover the journey from grassroots development to elite preparation for international events.

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Formulated in September 2014 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is a flagship initiative to identify and support elite athletes with medal potential. It provides customised support based on the specific training and competition needs of each sportsperson.

• Core objective: To improve India’s performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games through advanced training, modern equipment and international exposure.
• Current target cohort: The scheme supports 369 elite sportspersons preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
• Financial assistance: Selected athletes receive support for coaching, international academies, sports science services and physical equipment.
• Monthly stipend: Under TOPS guidelines, athletes receive an out-of-pocket allowance of ₹50,000 per month for daily incidental expenses during training.

National Sports Governance Act, 2025

The National Sports Governance Act, 2025 received presidential assent on August 18, 2025. It replaces the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 and creates a statutory framework for sports administration in the country.

• Statutory status: Sports governance is shifted from administrative guidelines to a legal framework, aimed at greater accountability and uniform compliance.
• RTI applicability: All sports organisations receiving central government funding are treated as public authorities under the RTI Act, 2005.
• National Sports Board (NSB): The NSB is the central authority for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies, and NSB affiliation is mandatory for central government funding.
• National Sports Tribunal (NST): A dedicated tribunal is created to handle sports-related disputes, with appeals lying directly to the Supreme Court within 30 days of the ruling.

Institutional Governance and Representation Rules

To operationalise the Act, the government introduced the National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026, and the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026. These rules aim to strengthen representation, inclusion and administrative accountability in sports bodies.

• Composition of NSB: The National Sports Board consists of a Chairperson and two members, appointed by the Central Government through a Search-cum-Selection Committee.
• Sportsperson representation: The General Bodies of all National Sports Bodies must include at least four retired sportspersons of outstanding merit.
• Women’s representation: At least two of the four mandatory sportsperson members in the General Bodies must be women.
• Executive committees: Every National Sports Body must have at least four women members in its Executive Committee.

Khelo India and Assistance to National Sports Federations

The government’s sports development budget combines grassroots talent identification with support for federations and competitive preparation. In the Union Budget 2026–27, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports received an allocation of ₹4,479.88 crore, including ₹500 crore for the Promotion of Sports Goods Manufacturing.

• Multi-year funding: The combined outlay covers five financial years, from 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• Khelo India mandate: The scheme funds talent identification, sports academies and multi-disciplinary sporting events.
• ANSF support: The scheme supports national team training, hiring of foreign coaches and participation in international tournaments.

Key Prelims Takeaways

• Nodal ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).
• TOPS: A flagship scheme for elite athletes with medal potential, launched in September 2014.
• TOPS benefit: Monthly out-of-pocket allowance of ₹50,000.
• Current TOPS cohort: 369 sportspersons targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
• Governance reform: The National Sports Governance Act, 2025 replaced the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.
• RTI coverage: Sports organisations receiving central grants are public authorities under the RTI Act, 2005.
• Dispute mechanism: Appeals against NST decisions lie directly to the Supreme Court within 30 days.