Along with Viren Rasquinha criticising the fitness of some players, he also said that he cannot think of any other sport where players can play at the highest level with such low fitness levels.
You don't prep for 2028 but for 2040, or even 2044. Sustained sporting excellence is based on mass support, grassroots development, and funding - and it is this trifecta India needs to work on, systematically, asserts Prem Panicker.
Viren Rasquinha, who is the CEO of Olympic Gold Quest, stressed on the importance of sports psychologists for athletes in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed to next year.
Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Kambli and Mahesh Bhupathi were among those who exercised their franchise and urged citizens to fulfill their duty.
Join in discuss with OGQ CEO Viren Rasquinha what went right, and wrong, for India at the just-concluded Games.
Star India grappler Vinesh Phogat bagged her third consecutive gold in the women's 53kg category after winning the Poland Open wrestling tournament in Warsaw.
While praising the Indian men hockey team's progress under the guidance of coach Roelant Oltmans, former international Viren Rasquinha did not hold out a realistic chance for the country to climb the medals podium at the upcoming Rio Olympics.
Legendary Olympians urged the authorities concerned that Mumbai be allowed to continue in its present independent state with direct affiliation to Hockey India as a full member.
Olympic Gold Quest's chief executive officer Viren Rasquinha hailed 16-year-old Malaika Goel on her silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and believes the youngster has the potential to win more medals at the international level in the years to come.
'Everyone has to recalibrate their plans, preparations, peaking, meaning the tournaments they will play in in the lead-up to the Olympics.'
'A dream moment', said the country's sports fraternity in unison as it celebrated the resurgence of Indian hockey at the Tokyo Olympics after the women's team advanced to its first ever semi-final, in Tokyo, on Monday.
'I think there is no single major problem with Indian hockey, but a little of a lot of problems, which cumulatively result in a consistent poor performance in the last few years,' says Viren Rasquinha.
The Sports Ministry removed the Rs 2 lakh cap on the salary given to Indian coaches for training elite athletes in a bid to encourage them to produce better results. The move is also aimed at attracting former players to become high performance trainers.
'Indian hockey will lose out on one of its most important nurseries of good hockey talent.'
Impressive victories over Malaysia and Japan in practice offer India hope of regaining lost glory at the Asian Games.
The ace midfielder rubbished reports that he was dropped from the Asian Games squad for lack of fitness.
Eight-times hockey champions India could miss out on the Olympics for the first time unless changes are made to the organisation of the sport, according to international centre half Viren Rasquinha.
Stand-in captain Viren Rasquinha said the absence of the team's senior-most player stood in the way of and Indian victory over Pakistan in the sixth Test.
Tributes pour in for Hockey great Balbir Singh Sr.
Borgohain (69kg) signed off with a bronze medal in the Olympic Games after a comprehensive 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli.
The sessions on opening day was attended by athletes and para athletes from all sport, including Olympic probables shooters Divyash Panwar, Apurvi Chandela, Abhishek Verma, Anish Bhanwala, boxers Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zarin along with swimmer Srihari Nataraj. The first session of the 24-series workshop started on Friday with physiotherapist Dr. Nikhil Latey speaking about how to train at home during the time of Corona, getting over 8K views.
'My vision for India is a clean and corruption-free country. The youth need to be actively involved in politics and policy making. It is easy to complain but tough to make a positive difference,' says former Indian hockey captain Viren Rasquinha, COO, Olympic Gold Quest.
Non-profit sports foundation Olympic Gold Quest has chalked out plans to extend its support to 40 athletes by this year-end and help them train for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, according to its chief executive officer Viren Rasquinha.
'I have been lucky to be able to show my talent more as a sports anchor, and I could do this for life!'
The Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy clarified that it played no role in Saina Nehwal shifting from the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad to Bengaluru to train under Vimal Kumar ahead of the Rio Olympics, saying the move was the "sole decision" of the ace shuttler.
Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers, Mumbai, powered by Shiva Kumar's double strikes, overcame hosts Bombay Gymkhana President's XI 4-1 in a first round match of the DCB Presents Aga Khan hockey tournament - 2011, at the Bombay Gymkhana ground, on Monday.
Olympic Gold Quest's recently-launched programme, 'Power Your Champions', attempts to involve the country's sports fans in its quest for a gold medal at the Olympics.
India's only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was named on a panel entrusted with the task of preparing the blueprint for the country's success at the next three Games, the sports ministry said on Monday.
The Olympic Gold Quest, founded by sports legends Prakash Padukone and Geet Sethi, has provisionally suspended the funding it gives to drug-tainted athlete Ashwini Akkunji, one of the sports persons it supports, and is awaiting the result of her "B" sample.
'Coaching centres across the world will make everyone watch this game, the quality of the match was top-notch'
Former Indian hockey ace Viren Rasquinha tells Harish Kotian that 'Olympic Gold Quest' is all about producing champions who can win gold medals at the Olympics.
The National Rifle Association of India on Sunday welcomed the appointment of Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore as sports minister, saying the Olympics silver medallist would "add immense value to the development and growth of sports".
Up-and-coming Indian pugilists Suranjoy Singh and Nanao Singh are set to sign a sponsorship deal with Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), floated by badminton ace Prakash Padukone and billiards champion Geet Sethi.
Maratha Warriors notched up their second successive victory defeating Bangalore Hi-Fliers 2-0 in a fast-paced encounter of the fourth Premier Hockey League in Chandigarh.
Wrestler Sushil Kumar, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at the following Games in London, has signed up with Olympic Gold Quest, which will provide him training and financial assistance in his preparation for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A resurgent Indian hockey team, with its penetrative attack and solid defence, can actually challenge for the top spot in the Champions Trophy.
Seasoned players Dilip Tirkey, Gagan Ajit Singh, Viren Rasquinha, Adrian D'Souza and Sandeep Singh were named among 32 probables for the upcoming Champions Challenge Cup men's field hockey tournament.
Women's cricketer Anju Jain is among the awardees, while none of her popular male counterparts were nominated.
Gopichand also wondered to why the legendary Padukone, India's first badminton superstar 'never had anything positive to say about him'.
