'Treat athletes as humans, not medal-winning robots': Abhinav Bindra ahead of Paris Olympics 2024

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published May 25, 2024, 12:21 PM IST

In the high-stakes world of sports, where the pursuit of excellence often overshadows the well-being of athletes, Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra recently advocated for a fundamental shift in approach.

Speaking at a certification program for psychologists organized by the Sports Authority of India's National Center for Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) in collaboration with National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala, Bindra emphasized the importance of treating athletes as human beings rather than mere medal-winning robots.

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The recent achievements of Indian athletes in prominent international events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games have not only elevated the stature of sports personalities but have also intensified the burden of expectations upon them.

According to Bindra, who clinched the gold medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, mental well-being holds significant importance for both athletes and coaches. He emphasized the crucial role of sports psychologists, urging them to exhibit considerable patience while assisting athletes in managing their mental health.

"The first and foremost job is to treat athletes as human beings and not to keep conditioning them as medal-winning robots,” Bindra said in a virtual interaction with sports psychologists at the Karni Singh Shooting Range on Thursday.

“Building trust and relationships with the athletes is very important and there should be absolute patience aplenty in the sports psychologists to deal with the constant mental and emotional evolution of the athletes,” added Bindra, a former world champion in 10m air rifle.

"𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐬"

Speaking on the importance of psychological assessment of both athletes and coaches, 2008 Beijing Olympics🥇Medalist

Abhinav Bindra shared some important insights during the certification programme for… pic.twitter.com/IT8K4MxKIF

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI)

He further urged sports psychologists not to evaluate athletes, particularly shooters, solely based on their performance in the previous Olympics in Tokyo, but rather on their current standings and conditions.

“The shooters who competed in the Tokyo Olympics and the shooters who will be competing in Paris will have gone through a sea change in their mindsets. The athletes should be psychologically assessed on how they are at the now, not how they were four years ago. It is essential to evolve as sports psychologists as per the athletes’ evolution,” said Bindra, who quit competitive shooting after the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Bindra shed light on how coaches can better integrate sports science into their training methods, emphasizing the need for experts to adopt a receptive attitude towards change.

“This is a transition period and there will be coaches who are guarded and not welcoming of sports science methods. But it all comes down to trust. It is imperative we make them understand psychology, technological advancements, physiology and other aspects of sports science through clinics. For example, having mental well-being workshop for the coaches will make them happier and start to appreciate their roles more. This breaks a lot of barriers and make them more open to embracing sports science. It will not be so much of a foreign concept to them anymore,” Bindra added.

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