'No Excuse': Government To Roll Out Mandatory Fitness Tests For Athletes Ahead Of Major International Events
In a major policy shift aimed at enhancing performance and accountability, the government is planning to implement mandatory fitness tests for all athletes before they are cleared to represent India at major international tournaments, including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and the Olympics. The proposed measure comes in the wake of repeated instances where athletes, after failing to deliver expected results at high-stakes competitions, cited a lack of full fitness as a reason for their poor performance. This has raised concerns within the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports about the selection process and the overall preparedness of athletes being sent to global platforms.