August 26th, 2008 
Aman 
Best Olympics Beijing Olympics turned out to be India’s best Olympics as for as the medal tally is concerned. India won three medals in the Beijing Olympics that includes One gold and two bronze medals. It is the second time that India has won more than one medals in an Olympic. Before it, it had won a gold and a bronze in 1954′s Helsinki Olympic games. The winners were freestyle wrestler Kashabha Jadhav (bronze) and the hockey team (gold).
Politics It is being projected by various Indian sports chiefs that the present success is just a sign of starting and in future India will emerge as a major sports power. Indian medal winners became national heroes in a very short span of time. They were given cash awards. It is being said that it will encourage the youth to participate in the games and which will result with some more successes on the International level. But former sports persons have expressed opposite views. According to them, success of some players at the Beijing Olympics is the result of their rigorous training and personal interests. A very little credit goes to the government’s funding and sports bodies. Various sports bodies are trying their best to take the credit by politicizing the achievement .
Selection It is being said that India will emerge as a major sports power in the future. But every Indian doubts it. Almost all the heads of the sports bodies are political leader and some of them are those who have never participated in any game even at the school level. Coaches and players are selected by these politicians. In most cased selection remains controversial as we have seen that related people have always raised voices against the selection process. Monica Devi case is the perfect example of it. In the past many players have made allegations of biased selection.
Problems Presence of bureaucrats and politicians in the sports bodies have always ruined the future of players. The present situation of the Indian hockey is the result of prevalent system. Poor planning and meager funding are the two other major problems. Prevalent corruption, biased selection and inadequate funding have cut short the careers of many budding players. In such circumstances it sounds like a joke that India will emerge as a major sports power.
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