More support staff for Paris Olympics to ensure holistic support to athletes

Delhi, July 21: A total of 140 support staff members are being sent to the Paris Olympics along with the 117 athletes to ensure that athletes have 360-degree support. The Paris 2024 Olympics will begin on July 26, 2024, and India’s contingent of 117 athletes will participate in 16 sports disciplines.
Adopting an Athlete-Centric and Athlete-first approach, a comprehensive and methodical mechanism has been adopted towards selection of Support Staff. All the staff members being sent to ensure holistic support to Athletes. The additional support staff members picked are going only after discussion and based on athletes’ recommendations and needs, thereby keeping athletes at the cornerstone of decision-making.
Of the 140 support staff members, 67 would be staying in the Games Village with the athletes and mostly consists of coaches, team doctors, recovery experts, sports scientists, and physiotherapists. The other members are being accommodated outside the Games Village and consist of additional coaches, Strength & Conditioning Experts, trainers sparring partners and mental conditioning coaches so the athletes have easy access to them even if they are not able to stay in the Games Village due to IOC’s restrictions of allowing only 33% of the contingent as support staff.
In addition to coaches, doctors, physiotherapists among others, this time, new additions like nutritionists, sleep therapist and even a sparring partner are being sent. During the current Paris Olympics, India is sending 43 coaches and personal coaches, 25 foreign coaches, 26 physiotherapists and 7 Masseurs.
Efforts have also been made by the Government of India to book hotel rooms close to the Games Villages and allocate daily passes to these additional staff members so they can visit the athletes during their training sessions and prepare them for the crucial matches.