New Delhi, March 5: India is likely to participate in athletics, boxing, hockey (men and women), shooting, tennis and weightlifting at the Sydney Olympics next year, Minister of State for Sports Uma Bharti said today.The minister, replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, said the selection of these disciplines was based upon probability of winning medals.Uma Bharti said the national sports federations had been requested to draw up a detailed Long Term Development Plan (LTDP) incorporating requirement for promotion of sports. This was being reviewed closely. As per agreed programme all federations will be given assistance for improving the standards of sports.She said foreign coaches had also been provided to the federations in selected disciplines to improve standards. A scheme for assisting promising sportspersons had been recently formulated under which outstanding sportspersons can be given financial assistance upto Rs five lakh for training in India and abroad.A National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) had also been set up with an initial contribution of Rs two crore by the government for the promotion and development of sports in the country, the minister added.
