Bindra’s message to India ahead of Paris Olympics – Firstpost

Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra sent a priceless message to sports fans in India ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. India’s first individual gold medalist at the Olympics, Bindra, while speaking at a event, urged his compatriots to treat athletes like human beings. human beings and not medal-winning robots.

The recent successes of Indian athletes in major international competitions, including the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, have not only raised the status of sportspersons, they have also increased the pressure of expectations on them.

Bindra, who won gold in 10m air rifle shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, added that mental well-being was a very important aspect not only for athletes but also for coaches and that sports psychologists should exercise a lot of patience when dealing with it.

“The job above all is to treat athletes like human beings and not continue to condition them like medal-winning robots,” Bindra said during a virtual interaction with sports psychologists at Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi .

“Building trust and relationships with athletes is very important and sports psychologists need to have absolute patience to deal with the constant mental and emotional evolution of athletes,” added Bindra, former world champion in air rifle at 10 m.

He also urged sports psychologists to evaluate athletes, especially shooters, not based on previous Tokyo Olympics, but on how they are currently placed.

“The shooters who competed in the Tokyo Olympics and the shooters who will compete in Paris will have experienced a radical change in their mindset. Athletes should be psychologically evaluated based on their current state, not four years ago. It is essential to evolve as sports psychologists according to the evolution of athletes,” said Bindra, who stopped competitive shooting after the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Shedding light on how coaches can become more familiar with sports science, Bindra said experts need to embrace change with an open mind.

“This is a time of transition and there will be coaches who are cautious and unwelcoming to sports science methods. But it’s all about trust. It is imperative to make them understand psychology, technological advancements, physiology and other aspects of sports science through clinics.

“For example, running a mental wellbeing workshop for coaches will make them happier and start to enjoy their role more. This breaks down many barriers and makes them more open to adopting sports science. It won’t really be a foreign concept for them anymore,” Bindra added.

The program is led by the National Center for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR), in collaboration with the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports ( NSNIS), Patiala. .