Why in news?

  The Mission Olympic Cell in its 86th meeting approved Olympic gold medallist NeerajChopra’s proposal to train at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.

Highlights

• In order to improve India’s performance at Olympics and Paralympics, the scheme Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) was started in 2014.
• Parent Organization : Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS)
• Revamped programme: In 2018 established a technical support team for managing the TOPS athletes and providing holistic support.
• Nature of Programme : All requisite support to probable athletes identified Olympic Games and Paralympic Games including foreign training, international competition, equipment and coaching camp besides monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000/- for each athlete.
• The Scheme looks to add a premium to the preparations of these athletes so that they can win medals in the Olympics.
• It supports 104 TOPS Core Group athletes across 13 sports disciplines & Hockey (M & W) teams and 269 TOPS Development Group athletes across 12 sports disciplines.
• Members: By Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
• It’s constitution does not stipulate minimum/maximum members for the committee
• It emphasis on ensuring representation from ‘High-Priority’ sports (Archery, Badminton, Boxing Hockey, Shooting and Wrestling).

The First committee :

• Under the chairmanship of Shri. Anurag Thakur and comprised of eminent athletes (Pulella Gopichand, Rahul Dravid, Abhinav Bindra, and Manisha Malhotra) and sports administrators from Sport Authority of India (SAI) and the MYAS

The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)

• It is a dedicated body created to assist the athletes who are selected under the TOPS.
• The MOC is under the chairmanship of the director general, Sports Authority
• The MOC focuses on selection, exclusion and retention of athletes, coaches, training institutes that can receive TOPS assistance