CWG controversy won't affect India's Olympic dream: SAI DG

Despite the beating the country took in the aftermath of the controversy-marred Commonwealth Games, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is confident of a good showing from its athletes in the 2012 London Olympics and is expecting a haul of at least 10 medals.

Despite the beating the country took in the aftermath of the controversy-marred Commonwealth Games, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) is confident of a good showing from its athletes in the 2012 London Olympics and is expecting a haul of at least 10 medals.

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While admitting that India's preparation has suffered owing to the unearthing of scams-related stories post CWG, SAI director general Desh Deepak Verma was gung-ho about the athletes' showing in London next year and said organising more national camps and foreign trips will be the way forward.

"The phase after the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, we all were entangled in various issues related to corruption and mismanagement during the CWG. Our Olympic preparations suffered in the aftermath of the CWG. It was unfortunate as that left us handicapped. Another major incident which affected our preparation was Indian athletes failing dope test.

"Now we are taking our Olympic preparations in a very serious manner. SAI is in full swing and we are expecting at least 10 medals in the London Games. Last Olympics in Beijing, we won three medals (one gold and two bronze). This time we have drawn our plans under the scheme 'Excellence in Olympics' to win around 10 medals," Verma told PTI.

Verma said the large number of Indian athletes qualifying for the London Olympics inspired SAI to lay out such an ambitious plan.

"For laying out such an ambitious plan, credit should go to the players and coaches both Indian and foreign. The number of athletes qualifying for the London Games shows that we are going to win more medals this time. I can assure you that in many disciplines there could be lot of surprises in waiting at the London event," said Verma, 1978 batch IAS officer of the UP cadre.