GoSports Foundation

The GoSports Foundation (GSF) is an independent, donor-funded [non-profit] venture, working towards securing funds and professional expertise for some of India's junior Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Established in 2008 with the singular purpose of injecting professionalism and positivity into the sports environment in India, it has worked with numerous athletes from across multiple Olympic and Paralympic disciplines through its scholarship programmes.

Joined by India's only Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, former Indian cricket team captain Rahul Dravid and All England Open badminton champion Pullela Gopichand on their Board of Advisors, GoSports Foundation's mission of empowering India's future Olympians is premised on the belief that sporting champions are created when the right talent gets the right support at the right time.

Mission

To Empower India's Future Olympians.

Programmes

The GoSports Foundation Programmes[1] are structured as part of a three-level pyramid with each successive higher level aimed at enabling young Indians to start, stay in and succeed at sport.

ACE Management Programme is a high-performance elite athlete management programme, where athletes are offered pro bono advisory and consultation services by the GoSports Foundation's panel of experts, consisting of nutritionists, psychologists, fitness trainers, lawyers, media and public relations experts, etc.

PACE Scholarships are offered to promising junior athletes in the age group of 13–21 years, from Olympic and Paralympic disciplines in their run-up to graduating to senior competition. PACE Scholars receive both monetary and non-monetary support.

PACER Projects are the GoSports Foundation's special projects aimed at research, knowledge management and personalized athlete-oriented interventions.

Special Projects:

The Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorships[2] for athletes in Olympic and Paralympic disciplines. Rahul Dravid and his team of experts will personally advise chosen athletes through the year and mentor them through their sporting journeys.

Shooting development programmes[3] in association with Abhinav Bindra Foundation. Abhinav Bindra Foundation and GoSports Foundation will conduct joint programmes for the development of junior Indian shooters during 2014. The programmes will include scholarships for selected shooters, development workshops for coaches and shooters, equipment support, as well as an opportunity for select junior shooters to receive one-on-one mentorship from Abhinav Bindra.

The GoSports Foundation Athletes’ Conclave is held with an objective to develop inspiration, promote knowledge and bonding among the athletes. The Conclave features seminars from some of India's leading sports industry experts, as well as successful sports-persons.[4]

Coach Education Programmes for Badminton coaches are held every year in association with the Badminton Association of India. The Programmes are aimed to align the badminton training programmes all across India to fall in line with the National Training Programme for all age groups. This will ensure a larger talent pool is fed into the national circuit, and will create a pool of well-informed coaches in different parts of the country.[5]

Athlete Achievements

Some of the achievements of the athletes supported by GoSports Foundation-

  1. GSF had 5 athletes representing India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland- Sharath Gayakwad (Para-Swimming), Soumyajit Ghosh, Harmeet Desai (both Table tennis), Kidambi Srikanth and RMV Gurusaidutt (both Badminton), the latter winning the bronze medal in the Men's Singles category.[6]
  2. Swimmers Virdhawal Khade, Sandeep Sejwal (Beijing 2008) and Gagan Ullalmath (London 2012) represented India at the Olympic Games.
  3. Para-swimmer Sharath Gayakwad was India's lone representative in swimming at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.[7]
  4. Soumyajit Ghosh became India's youngest men's table tennis player to qualify for the Olympic Games. He represented India at the London 2012 Games.
  5. Badminton player Srikanth Kidambi became the first Indian to win a Grand Prix Gold event outside India when he won the Thailand Open in 2013.
  6. Golfer S. Chikkarangappa turned professional in 2013, and even went on to win a PGTI event in his rookie year.
  7. Heptathlete Swapna Barman won gold medal at 2018 Asian Games and placed first in the Heptathlon at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships.[8]

References
  1. The GoSports Foundation Programmes.
  2. Rahul Dravid to mentor junior Olympic, Paralympic athletes.
  3. Bindra, GoSports join hands to help young shooters.
  4. Abhinav Bindra, Pullela Gopichand share experience at the Athletes' Conclave 2013.
  5. A brainstorming session for coaches.
  6. CWG badminton bronze a 'lifetime achievement': Gurusaidutt
  7. India gets its first ever Paralympics swimmer Sharath Gayakwad.
  8. "Swapna Barman Receives GSI Sports Scholarship - Company CSR | Largest CSR News Network - Social Responsibilities Give Better World". Company CSR. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
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