Sports ecosystem is deprived of its due when funds are diverted for bureaucrats’ recreational facilities

Most sporting powers rely on ecosystems that nurture young talent and instil confidence in athletes to compete at the highest level. In India, the creation of such an enabling milieu remains a work in progress. The National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), established in 1998, was conceived as an important step in that direction — to support promising sportspersons, expand access to training facilities and coaching, and help athletes gain crucial international exposure. Over the years, the fund has played a significant role in backing initiatives such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. That is why the findings of an investigation by this newspaper are deeply troubling — between 2021 and 2025, more than Rs 6 crore from the NSDF was used to construct recreational facilities for bureaucrats. The justification offered — that this did not constitute a diversion of funds but was intended to promote sporting culture — is specious. India’s bureaucratic elite do not lack access to clubs and leisure amenities, while athletes across the country continue to grapple with inadequate training facilities and limited institutional support.

The revelations come at a time when the NSDF’s resources are shrinking. The contribution to the fund fell sharply from Rs 85.26 crore in 2023-24 to Rs 37.02 crore in 2025-26. Last year, a 31-member parliamentary panel expressed concern about waning corporate faith in government-administered sports bodies. It also noted that public sector units are reducing their contribution to government-administered sports initiatives. Such trends warrant greater financial discipline and probity in the use of resources meant to enhance infrastructure at the grassroots levels, where sporting talent is emerging. Funding is urgently needed in rural West Bengal and Tripura, which have consistently produced gifted gymnasts. The country has fewer than 20 swimming pools that satisfy Olympic standards. The need is equally pressing for badminton courts in Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Haryana, wrestling mats in Kolhapur, judo infrastructure in Manipur, and hockey astro turfs across the country, where the sport has a strong grassroots presence. Aspiring boxers in Haryana continue to train in substandard facilities despite the state’s success in the sport. Telangana, Bengal and Gujarat, where youngsters have shown a hunger for table tennis, need more international-quality infrastructure. Even metros such as Mumbai require accessible multipurpose indoor complexes where children can take up sports, other than cricket, without prohibitive costs.

The allocation and utilisation of NSDF resources should be subject to regular audits. Public disclosure of expenditure could restore the fund’s credibility. This paper’s investigation is a warning. A nation aspiring to emerge as a global sporting power cannot afford the elite capture of resources intended to lay the foundations of athletic excellence.