Hike in cash incentives for Olympic medallists

The Union government Tuesday declared a hefty increase in cash incentives for Olympic medallists with Rs 1.5 million for a gold medal, Rs 900,000 for silver and Rs 700,000 for bronze.

Sports Minister S S Dhindsa, speaking at a parliamentary consultative committee meeting, said: "The Indian contingent for the Sydney Olympic Games will comprise 65-70 athletes in 12 disciplines."

He said an extensive training and competitive exposure was being given to the Sydney-bound athletes and hoped that they would perform well. "I hope that the Indian contingent will return with some medals," Dhindsa said.

He said besides hiring foreign coaches and sports scientists, a number of camps had been held since March 1999 by the Sports Authority of India and NIS facilities in Patiala and Bangalore.

While the athletic team was sent to Ukraine to compete in an international event, the boxers spent 40 days in Cuba and the rowers have been undergoing training in the United States for the past three months, Dhindsa said.

He said the hockey team had already left for Australia to get useful match practice, ahead of the mega-event.