In what is expected to be one of the most crucial and action-packed years for Indian sports, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has directed top officials of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to establish clear “delivery targets” for 2026. He has urged them to bring forward innovative ideas to strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem while tackling the growing menace of doping with utmost urgency.
The year 2026 will play a pivotal role for Indian athletes, with major international events such as the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games on the calendar. It will also mark the beginning of the qualification process for key Olympic disciplines like shooting and hockey, making it a defining year for India’s sporting ambitions.
Mandaviya chaired a high-level review meeting with senior officials of SAI and the Sports Ministry on Thursday to frame a comprehensive annual roadmap. The meeting focused on performance delivery, infrastructure expansion, athlete preparedness, and stricter anti-doping mechanisms.
A ministry source revealed that the Sports Minister emphasized the importance of measurable progress.
“He stressed setting priorities for the year and asked officers to work with clear delivery targets. He plans to meet Deputy Director-level officers every 15 days to discuss actionable ideas to improve the sports ecosystem,” the source said.
One of Mandaviya’s key priorities is to accelerate work on establishing dedicated Olympic Centres for every sport across India, ensuring world-class training facilities for elite athletes. Additionally, he aims to launch national leagues in at least five new sports, encouraging federations to participate, while assuring full financial backing from the government.
India is also preparing for a monumental role in the global sports arena as it gets ready to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and pushes its ambitious bid to bring the 2036 Olympics to the same city. However, Mandaviya highlighted that India must first address its longstanding challenge with doping.
India has unfortunately topped the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of countries with the highest number of doping violations for three consecutive years. Acknowledging this alarming trend, Mandaviya called for decisive corrective measures.
According to officials,
“SAI and NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) have been instructed to conduct aggressive awareness and education campaigns. If violations still occur, strict punitive action will follow.”
Mandaviya is also pushing for the growth of private sports academies, assuring that the government will extend support in crucial areas like sports science, advanced training expertise, and high-performance technology.
With India aiming to emerge as a global sporting powerhouse, 2026 is expected to be a landmark year in setting the foundation for long-term success and Olympic excellence.