It's not an athlete's birthright to run a federation: Manisha Malhotra

As India prepares for the Paris Olympics, a lot has gone on behind the scenes to ready the Indian contingent.

Numerous stakeholders, including the government, individuals, and private establishments are invested in the training and development of Indian athletes.

In doing so, they aim to collectively foster a robust sports culture and ecosystem in the country.

Manisha Malhotra, a former tennis professional and Asian Games silver medalist understands the pulse of Indian sports better than most. Since hanging up her racquet, she has been working tirelessly in the areas of scouting and athlete development.

In 2012, she was was conferred the International Olympic Committee’s Woman and Sport Award World Trophy in 2012.

In a recent conversation with Arshi Yasin, Founder and CEO of The Bridge, Malhotra opened up about the upcoming Paris Olympics, India’s medal chances, the challenges faced by Indian athletes, and the role of corporate social responsibility in sports.

Excerpts from the interview:

Arshi: Manisha, what do you think, iss baar nabhe paar? (Will we cross 90 this time? A reference to "Iss Baar Sau Paar" campaign from the Asian Games 2022).

Manisha: I think we have already crossed 90 (Laughs). This time, regardless of the final medal tally, it will begin with shooting. If our shooters secure one or two medals in the initial three days, the momentum will be amazing. After that, there will be several opportunities, particularly in archery, which has two chances for medals. I truly believe our shooting team is well-prepared. We have an amazing team. I think our preparations have been very, very good. I am predicting we will win 5 medals from shooting alone, because I am the eternal optimist, as they call me.

Arshi: In Paris, we have representation in all shooting categories, How do you view that?

Manisha: It's a very balanced contingent. Unlike having just one Manu Bhaker or one Saurabh, I had also predicted that we would win three medals before Tokyo. I think there will be very few spectators, maybe around 200. All of this could be a huge advantage for our shooters.

Arshi: Because JSW Sports is sending a big team, how are the preparations at JSW Sports right now?

Manisha: Preparations are now complete. At this point, we are focusing on keeping the athletes relaxed and mentally sharp. They are engaging in a lot of visualization and maintaining their competitive edge, rather than pushing through maximum workouts.

Looking ahead, we are already planning for LA, with Paris largely concluded from an administrative perspective. We're analyzing data to understand global trends, athlete preferences, and integrating these insights into our training cycles leading up to LA qualifications. Our focus now is on structuring our qualifications and identifying potential candidates.

Arshi: Talking about the administration side, there are multiple stakeholders in the ecosystem - the government, athletes and private entities. There's the CSR fund that is lagging behind in sports. The total spend last fiscal year was 23 lakh crore, with not more than 300 crore allocated to sports. If you look at CSR spends, the term 'sport' is not even clearly mentioned, often hidden under the 'others' category. How can we mobilize decision makers to become more active on the sports front?

Manisha: If you consider the total CSR spend perspective, spending on sports amounts to less than 0.2%. However, there are significant development challenges in critical areas in our country like education, health, and social causes. These sectors have provided corporates with platforms for CSR investments, while sports, unfortunately, has not evolved enough. Many corporates are willing to contribute but lack clarity on effective investment avenues. Federations often lack business acumen and struggle to attract and retain sponsors, which undermines the CSR potential in sports.

Even if the top 50 companies allocated half a percent of their CSR budget to sports, that could amount to significant funding. The onus should be on governance to foster self-sustaining sports ecosystems and create attractive investment opportunities for the private sector. While the government's intent is evident, implementation lags behind, leaving Indian sports at a crossroads. The current model may not lead us to achieving 20 medals or more without substantial changes.

Arshi: I think what you said is a very realistic observation. So, Manisha, you have touched upon a couple of points. I will take a few minutes to dissect this. The first point is that Indian sport is not yet evolved enough and requires a larger interest, including the right kind of people, to grow from here. This brings me to another point because Abhinav Bindra has been a huge advocate for having former sportspersons become policymakers and get into administration. Do you think that the major issue right now is that federations are run by people who are politically motivated?

Manisha: No, Abhinav is a very close friend of mine, and I am aligned with many of his ideas, but I don’t agree with his view on this. I don’t think politicians should necessarily run federations, but it's not an athlete's birthright to do so either. The person at the helm needs to bring accountability and see themselves as custodians, not owners, of the sport. The current administrators often seek recognition and legacy rather than growth.

There are many conflicts in the way sport is run. The central government is the biggest funder but says sport is a state subject, leading to confusion. The sports budget is 4,000 crores, but no money is given directly to federations; it all goes through the ACTC (Annual Calendar for Training and Competition) for training camps. This implies that sports federations are considered ineffective, yet they are asked to handle selections and coaching decisions. The sports code is inconsistently applied, based on convenience.

The government should provide clarity and engage in above-board dialogue to determine what is in the best interest of sports, rather than settling scores. This is probably the murkiest part of Indian sport at the moment. Looking at the 2036 bid, which seems to be on everyone's minds, it could be the make-or-break moment. The people on the ground, state federations, NOCs, athletes will have to deliver.

Arshi: I think you read my mind. My next question would have been about 2036.

Manisha: I am working a lot internationally and am a big supporter of the 2036 bid. As a sports administrator, I don’t think there can be a bigger dream than seeing your country host the Olympic Games. I speak a lot to international federations, the IOC, and people in the sporting ecosystem, and there are real issues with India. Governance is a huge problem, and doping is another. If you want to know how the world views India, especially in sports, these are the two major red flags we need to address collectively.

Hosting the Olympics is as much a PR exercise as anything else. We bring in many foreign coaches who are amazing and go on to be successful head coaches, but we often treat them poorly in India. They leave with a bad impression and spread the word that India is clueless, damaging our reputation. There have been several examples of this. Over time, it becomes more difficult for India to attract top experts. We pay the highest amounts, second only to Saudi Arabia, to bring foreign experts to India because no one wants to come here, thinking it's too difficult to work in India. This perception needs to change. The sports world is very small and interconnected, so if one piece falls, it has repercussions elsewhere. Everything must work collectively and in synchronization.

Arshi: We saw the Cricket World Cup victory, and the entire country was proud of it. We also saw how Chirag Shetty (Badminton player) took a stand towards other athletes not being felicitated. What’s your take on that?

Manisha: I think worldwide, when a country wins in football, like in the Euro or World Cup, they receive completely different recognition compared to someone winning in Wimbledon. Indian athletes, especially those in individual sports like badminton or tennis, need to understand that while they represent their country, it is different from a team sport where the entire entity is the team representing the country. That’s a fact of life. If a team like the hockey team voiced this concern, it might have more merit. You cannot coerce a government to give you credit. Credit is certainly due for what these two badminton players (Satwik and Chirag) have achieved, which is beyond amazing. However, Chirag is allowed to express his opinion. He feels strongly about it, and that’s okay. I don't think it should be such a big talking point.

Arshi: What is the primary aim for JSW company in terms of sports?

Manisha: The primary aim of JSW in sports is to uplift and invest in sports that lack funding. There's no point in corporates crowding the same sports. There are three foundational sports at the Olympic Games which are athletics, swimming, and gymnastics, offering the most medals. These sports are foundational because they are good starting points for youth, beneficial for their life, and allow transitions into other sports. Our goal is to promote a broad-based approach to sports, focusing not only on Olympic medals but also on better lifestyles, youth opportunities, and exposure to sports. The overwhelming interest has prompted us to increase our investment and spread this model to other parts of the country.

Arshi: Coming to the Paris Olympics, what message would you like to give to the Indian contingent?

Manisha: I believe this is going to be an amazing Olympics, and I'm not just talking about medals. We have come through some of the hardest times as a planet with the whole COVID situation. There has been a very short turnaround time, just three years between Olympics. We have a young contingent going to Paris participating in their first Olympics. We need them to gain experience, grow, and use this Olympics to add to their careers and bank that experience. I expect a lot of good stories to come out of the Olympics. It has been a hard toll on our athletes, with significant losses due to injuries, making this cycle very challenging mentally as well.

Arshi: Talking about mental strength, how important are mental strength and psychological preparation for Indian athletes competing at the Olympics? What strategies are in place to help athletes cope with the pressure and expectations of competing on the world stage?

Manisha: There is pressure and expectations, and you can't do anything about that. I think Indian athletes are now traveling the world, competing in the best of competitions. So, the Olympics is not the only time an Indian athlete will see a world champion. They have already been with them, competed against them, sometimes losing and sometimes winning. One thing to understand about expectations and pressure is that it only diminishes with exposure. Mental strength needs to be groomed through daily training. It’s a long process filled with pitfalls, negative experiences. You need to come out of every setback with strength to truly be mentally strong. Indian athletes need to learn how to compete on the day of the event. This is where Neeraj Chopra excels. The Olympics for him is not a flash in the pan. He continued to win afterward, showing his quality. Although many javelin throwers exceed the 90m mark and he has not done that yet, he was still the best on that day in Tokyo. Mental strength is one aspect, self-confidence is another aspect we need to groom our athletes to have. I have seen it twice in my career, in Abhinav Bhindra and Neeraj and sometimes in others. However, many others haven’t delivered on the big stage. I have worked with close to 2,000 athletes and only a small percentage have won. Indian sport is in a good place, it has come far and is doing well, but now it’s time to take the next step.

Arshi: Yesterday I was watching a clip of Murali Sreeshankar where he shared about his injury. This is where mental strength comes into picture. He said he has waited for 14-years, so to wait for another 4-years is okay. That shows the spirit and kind of recovery that is going through. What’s your take on that?

Manisha: Sreeshankar’s story has been one of the most heartbreaking I have encountered in my 20-year sports career. I have seen a lot of injuries, but the way this boy has fought is remarkable. This is adversity, this is being strong. His family and the people around him feel it, yet he has taken it all in stride, exceeding expectations with his recovery. This is something bigger than even an Olympic medal. Even a gold medal is nothing compared to what he has achieved. Sreeshankar is highly educated and he is very very smart. He has researched his own injury, the repercussions. He is clear-minded and nobody can tell him he can’t do it because he will. He has the full support of the country, including the government and SAI. These are the bright stories we need. The injury is not the bright story, but seeing how we all collectively stand behind our athletes is unique to India. In the west, if you are an Olympic champion, you come home, and the next day you still have to go to the grocery store, it’s not the same in India and that’s amazing. We have the culture of standing together through thick and thin, and that’s what’s happening with Sreeshankar as well.