The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has reorganized its day-to-day operations, giving the Targeted Olympic Podium Program (TOPS) division led by NS Johal responsibility for 27 Olympic sporting disciplines.
The department was also asked to deal with governance-related issues in national federations whenever requested by the Ministry of Sports.According to an order issued by Sports Minister Hari Ranjan Rao, who is also the Director General of SAI, the TOPS department will now serve as the main point of contact between SAI and the National Sports Federations (NSFs).Johal, who already heads Target Asian Games Group (TAGG), will continue to oversee TAGG as a sub-group within TOPS.TOPS was launched in 2014 to support elite athletes with training and competition planning in priority sports such as boxing, badminton and athletics.Under the new structure, TOPS will fully oversee aquatics, shooting, athletics, badminton, boxing, rowing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, golf, gymnastics, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, sailing, shooting, skiing, sport climbing, squash, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon and lifting. Weightlifting and wrestling.
The order states that TOPS will act as the “primary interface” between SAI and the relevant national football associations, associations and stakeholders in the designated sports.The Section will also deal with governance matters referred by the Ministry, as well as development proposals and budgetary matters for the National Solidarity Funds associated with these disciplines.TOPS has also been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating India’s participation in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, Asian Youth Games and Asian Beach Games.The Training of Elite Athletes and Management Support (TEAMS) division, which also falls under Johal, will handle operations related to disciplines outside TOPS, including para sports, winter sports and non-Olympic disciplines.Johal is a former Olympic sailor.The TEAMS department will also coordinate National Sports Awards, functions related to Republic Day, Rashidrapati Bhawan and Prime Minister’s Office.
