Olympics 2020: In a first, Indian officials to head to Tokyo for recce to help athletes prepare well

Indian athletes have often complained about food and accommodation when they participate in sporting events abroad. They also often fail to acclimatise themselves, which affects their performances.

However, with the Tokyo Olympics two years away, a multi-agency delegation of sports administrators, led by Sports Authority of India officials, is travelling to Japan next week where they will recce venues of all the sporting events, according to reports. This time, they are leaving no stone unturned, or so it seems. This is the first time such a delegation is being sent.

The contingent will leave on July 24 and be back on August 1. The team includes representatives from organisations such as the Olympic Gold Quest, JSW Sports Foundation and Go Sports Foundation.

The team is expected to make a note of things that can impact the performance of Indian athletes – measuring the wind-speed, noting the colour schemes at the venues and mapping the distance from venues to their respective accommodation.

This information will then be passed on to the athletes and their coaches, who will then accordingly plan out their training sessions. They will also look at setting up an Indian kitchen for the athletes during the Games.

“We have noticed that these little things have mattered a lot in the past,” SAI director general Neelam Kapur told The Indian Express. “In the run-up to Tokyo, what can we do to make our athletes comfortable? So, we will see what they require in terms of training and other facilities. All the top nations follow this method. We may not be the first ones to do this, but this is the first time we are adopting this wholesome approach.”

The delegation will also look out for venues where Indian athletes can train next year during the period of the Games to acclimatise themselves.

“This initiative is being done two years ahead of the Games so that our athletes are best prepared,” Kapur told The Tribune. “We will also be sending some of our teams to Tokyo next year, around the same month when the Games will be held in 2020, to help them acclimatise.”

The Indians staying in Japan will also be called upon to assist the athletes in Tokyo. “We will talk to local Indian families to see if there is a possibility of providing bed and breakfast kind of facility when they are travelling there for training. That way, the athletes can have home-cooked Indian food as well as someone to talk to in their language, instead of staying by themselves in hotels,” she said.