New Delhi: Over 1,300 athletes have been removed from the Khelo India program over the past three years due to performance issues and doping violations, Union Sports Minister said Mansukh Mandaviya The Federal Council was notified on Thursday.Responding to a question on the performance of athletes participating in the programme, the minister said that during this period, 1,342 athletes left the program while 2,905 new athletes joined.“A total of 1,342 athletes have withdrawn from the program over the past three years due to performance below required benchmarks and doping rule violations,” the minister said in a written reply.He also explained how the program evaluates athlete performance.“…Performance benchmarks are revised every year and updated from time to time on the Khelo India website…Performance of athletes is charted and measured every year based on prescribed protocols and evaluation camps,” the minister said.Currently, over 23,000 athletes across the country are receiving training and support through the Khelo India programme. The Athletic Department’s Talent Identification and Development Committee (TIDC) oversees the onboarding and exit of athletes following established processes including performance evaluation camps.Khelo India was launched in 2017 with the aim of discovering and nurturing sports talent at the grassroots level. Two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker is one of the outstanding athletes supported by the programme.The program receives a large portion of the annual athletic budget. An amount of Rs 92,435 crore has been allocated to Khelo India for the financial year 2026-27.
