Shivalika chadha

AC Bali Table Tennis Tournament: Former Union Sports Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) Anurag Singh Thakur said there should be efforts made to ensure former athletes are brought back into the Indian sporting ecosystem as coaches and mentors, adding that the country is wasting a valuable resource by leaving experienced ex-players in administrative office roles.

Thakur made the call while addressing sports journalists on day two of the Golden Jubilee National Convention of the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) at the Constitution Club of India - an event hosted by the Delhi Sports Journalist Association (DSJA).

"Many players who got jobs through sports are now working in offices, while many of them could be involved with the game again as coaches or mentors. They may contribute far more to sports in those roles," he said.