Former world long jump champion Anju Bobby George was appointed as the Chairperson of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) by Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. She will succeed Anurag Thakur, Member of Parliament and Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) who had resigned from this post.
About Anju Bobby George:-
- Anju Bobby George was first Indian athlete who had won bronze medal in the World Athletics Championships (Paris) in 2003.
- She had won the silver medal at the World Athletics Championships (Monte Carlo) in 2005. But in 2014, she was declared winner of this Championship after disqualification of Russian Gold Medalist Tatyana Kotova on doping charges.
- Prior to this appointment, she was member of the TOPS’ identification committee which includes eminent sports personalities like Pullela Gopichand, Rahul Dravid, Abhinav Bindra and MC Mary Kom.
- Awards and Honours: Arjuna award (2003), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award (2004) and Padma Shri (2004).
About Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) - Formulated under the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) with an objective of identifying and supporting potential medal prospects sportspersons for 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.
- The focused disciplines under this scheme are Boxing, Athletics, Badminton, Archery, Wrestling and Shooting.
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