We will update this page whenever the women’s 100m record or the 2026 top four changes.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has announced a major change to the coaching courses offered by the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS), Patiala. From 2027, SAI will replace the existing Six-Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching with a Four-Week Certificate Course.

According to an official NSNIS circular dated October 23, 2026, the institute will hold the first session of the new course in May–June 2027.

The biggest change is that participants will now complete the entire course offline. Previously, candidates attended online theory classes for four weeks before completing two weeks of practical training at a designated centre. However, under the new format, they must attend all four weeks of classes and practical training in person.

What Has Changed in the New Course?

Under the old system, the institute divided the six-week course into two parts:

• Four weeks of online theory classes.
• Two weeks of offline practical training.

However, from 2027, NSNIS will reduce the course duration to four weeks and conduct all classes and practical sessions offline.

Physical attendance will be compulsory for every participant. In addition, the institute has ruled out both online and hybrid options.

As a result, the total course duration will decrease by two weeks. Nevertheless, candidates must attend the complete programme at their allotted training centres.

NSNIS has not yet released the new course timetable. It has also not explained how it will divide theory and practical sessions across the four weeks.

How Did the Previous Courses Work?

The previous two editions provide a clear idea of the admission and training schedule.

In 2025, the application process opened on March 20 and closed on April 14. The institute started online classes on May 6 and continued them until June 2. Candidates then appeared for the theory examination on June 6, followed by practical training from June 16 to July 2.

Similarly, in 2026, applications opened on April 1, and candidates could apply until April 22. Online classes ran from May 18 to June 15. After that, the institute conducted practical training in five different groups between June 23 and September 30.

For 2027, NSNIS has scheduled the first session for May–June. However, candidates must wait for the institute to announce the exact application and training dates.

What Were the Previous Fees and Eligibility Requirements?

Under the previous six-week course, candidates had to pay a total fee of ₹14,800.

The fee covered the following expenses:

• Course fee: ₹10,000
• Establishment and miscellaneous charges: ₹4,000
• Library fee: ₹300
• Syllabus and notes: ₹500

Additionally, candidates had to pay a non-refundable application fee of ₹1,000. Boarding and lodging charges were extra, wherever applicable.

For admission, candidates needed to pass Class 12 from a recognised board. They also had to meet the prescribed sports-achievement requirements. These included participation or achievements in district, state, university, national or international-level competitions.

However, NSNIS has not confirmed whether the new course will follow the same eligibility rules in 2027. The institute will announce the revised fees, age limit and eligibility conditions separately.

What Information Is Still Awaited?

Although NSNIS has announced the new course format and its first session, several important details remain pending.

The institute will issue a separate admission notification covering the following information:

• Educational and sports eligibility.
• Application opening and closing dates.
• Admission and selection process.
• Course fees and application charges.
• Number of seats available.
• Sports disciplines offered.
• Training centres.
• Revised curriculum and course schedule.

Candidates should therefore wait for the official admission notification before making further plans.

Is This Change Applicable to the One-Year NIS Diploma?

No. The new announcement specifically concerns the Six-Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching.

It does not affect the regular one-year Diploma in Sports Coaching offered by NSNIS. Unlike the short certificate course, the diploma runs for two semesters and covers subjects such as sports science, coaching theory, practical training, sports psychology, biomechanics and sports nutrition.

Furthermore, the October 23 circular does not mention any changes to the one-year diploma programme.

Long before an athlete stands on an Olympic podium or steps onto a synthetic track under stadium lights, the discipline of training begins in childhood. But across track ovals, weightlifting halls, and training academies worldwide, a sinister reality has quietly taken root: millions of children are being exposed to performance-enhancing drugs before they even reach adulthood.

What was once viewed as an adult crisis of ambition and rogue science has metastasized into what anti-doping investigators describe as one of the darkest chapters in sporting history.

The Global Crisis: 10 Million Children Exposed

According to a landmark investigation published in November 2026 by the investigative unit of German broadcaster ARD, an estimated 10 million children involved in sports worldwide may have been exposed to doping.

The investigation—the culmination of six years of research across more than 50 countries and 25 sports disciplines—analyzed 44 independent studies involving young competitors. Out of an estimated 200 million children participating in competitive sports globally, anonymously surveyed young athletes revealed a staggering truth: 5% to 6% admitted to using banned, performance-enhancing substances.

Even more alarming for the track-and-field community, athletics ranks among the disciplines with the highest number of positive doping tests among minors globally, trailing closely behind weightlifting.

The betrayal often begins with trust. Investigators found that young athletes are routinely administered prohibited substances under the guise of “recovery vitamins,” protein powders, or routine dietary supplements handed out by coaches, ambitious parents, and support staff.

A Historical Mirror: From State-Sponsored Abuse to Modern Exploitation

The exposure of minors to doping is not without historical precedent, though its modern form is far more decentralized and pervasive.

• The East German Shadow (1970s–1980s): Under the secret state-sponsored scheme State Plan 14.25, thousands of young East German athletes—many as young as 11 or 12—were systematically fed anabolic steroids like Oral-Turinabol without their knowledge. Marketed to them as “vitamin pills,” the drugs brought international medals but left a legacy of severe organ failure, hormonal dysfunction, and lifelong psychological trauma.
• WADA’s Operation Refuge (2012–2023): In January 2024, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) released Operation Refuge, analyzing over a decade of data. Between 2012 and late 2023, WADA logged 1,518 Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) involving 1,416 minors. The investigation revealed widespread trauma, pressure, and abandonment experienced by child athletes who were caught and subsequently shunned by the adults who facilitated their doping.

The Indian Perspective: Ground Zero at the Grassroots

India’s athletic pipeline has made tremendous strides on the international stage, but its grassroots system faces a deep-rooted anti-doping crisis.

According to official data from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of India, 42 minor athletes were listed under sanctioned or provisionally suspended categories between December 26, 2023, and September 8, 2026.

As seen globally, Weightlifting and Athletics account for the overwhelming majority of minor anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) in India:

Minors Sanctioned & Provisionally Suspended in India

(NADA Records: Dec 2023 – Sept 2026)

What Are Indian Minors Testing Positive For?

The substances detected in Indian youth athletes range from heavy anabolic steroids to dangerous stimulants and masking agents:

• Drostanolone: An anabolic-androgenic steroid heavily used for muscle density and strength without weight gain. Detected in five minor entries across weightlifting, wrestling, Wushu, and provisional lists.
• Mephentermine: A potent cardiac stimulant often misused to push past physiological fatigue during high-intensity training or competition. Detected in three sanctioned entries (athletics and boxing) and a provisional wrestling case.
• Norandrosterone: A primary metabolite of the anabolic steroid Nandrolone. Found in minor cases across athletics, judo, kabaddi, and wrestling.
• Furosemide: A powerful loop diuretic used as a rapid weight-cutting agent or masking agent to flush out other banned substances. Detected in minor boxing and wrestling cases.
• Metandienone (Dianabol): One of the oldest and most potent oral anabolic steroids, detected across weightlifting and wrestling minor entries.

The Pressure on Young Athletes

In track and field, milliseconds and centimeters can decide careers. Therefore, teenage athletes face immense pressure to gain a competitive edge, whether through national camp selections, sports quota jobs or podium finishes at junior meets.

However, when coaches or unscrupulous handlers give a 15-year-old sprinter a pill and call it a “recovery booster,” they do more than violate anti-doping rules. They exploit a child.

The qualification system for athletics at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, scheduled for 15 to 30 July 2028, is now available.

The athletics programme will feature 23 events each for men and women. In addition, athletes will compete in two mixed events: the mixed 4x100m relay, which will make its Olympic debut, and the mixed 4x400m relay.

As in recent major outdoor championships, World Athletics will use a dual qualification pathway. Under this model, entry standards will account for 40% of the expected qualifiers, while World Athletics rankings will determine the remaining 60%. Therefore, the new system replaces the previous 50-50 model.

However, achieving the entry standard does not guarantee an Olympic quota place. If more athletes achieve the standard than the available quota allows, World Athletics will award places to the best performers during the qualification period, within the event quota. In that case, no athletes will qualify through world rankings.

Qualification Periods

The qualification and ranking periods will differ depending on the event. The schedule is as follows:

Marathon: 1 November 2026 to 30 April 2028.

10,000m, combined events, race walks and relays: 19 December 2026 to 18 June 2028.

All other events: 19 June 2027 to 18 June 2028.

Furthermore, World Athletics will count results from competitions whose final day falls within the relevant qualification period.

Results from national senior outdoor championships will also count if the competitions begin within the applicable qualification period. However, athletes must achieve their performances no later than Thursday, 22 June.

Entry Standards

The following table lists the LA28 Olympic athletics entry standards for men and women:

Men’s Event	Men	Women’s Event	Women
100m	9.93	100m	10.96
200m	19.95	200m	22.25
400m	44.40	400m	49.90
800m	1:43.00	800m	1:57.00
1500m	3:30.00	1500m	3:57.50
5000m	12:50.00	5000m	14:34.00
10,000m	26:48.00	10,000m	30:30.00
110m hurdles	13.18	100m hurdles	12.58
400m hurdles	48.00	400m hurdles	54.00
3000m steeplechase	8:07.50	3000m steeplechase	9:06.00
High jump	2.32m	High jump	1.97m
Pole vault	5.90m	Pole vault	4.80m
Long jump	8.30m	Long jump	6.90m
Triple jump	17.35m	Triple jump	14.50m
Shot put	21.50m	Shot put	19.30m
Discus throw	67.20m	Discus throw	65.00m
Hammer throw	78.50m	Hammer throw	74.00m
Javelin throw	85.50m	Javelin throw	63.80m
Decathlon	8650 points	Heptathlon	6550 points
Half marathon race walk	WRWTC	Half marathon race walk	WRWTC
Marathon	2:05:00	Marathon	2:22:20

How Did World Athletics Decide the Entry Standards?

World Athletics calculated the top lists using the start and end dates of the four qualification periods. The calculations considered a maximum of three athletes per country.

Meanwhile, the governing body analysed performance trends, existing competition levels and expected improvements to determine the entry standards. It also considered events where athletes could significantly improve their performances compared to previous championships.

The marathon is one such event. According to performance trends, marathon times during an Olympic year are typically 30 to 60 seconds faster than projected trends.

Relay Qualification

For the relay events, the top 14 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) at the World Athletics Relays will automatically qualify for LA28. The competition will take place in The Bahamas on 22–23 April 2028.

Moreover, teams will get two opportunities to secure qualification at the World Relays. If a team fails to qualify on the first day, it can try again on the second day.

Finally, World Athletics will allocate the remaining relay places based on the World Athletics relay performance lists during the qualification period.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has officially begun the process for its 2026 Executive Council elections, and the political twists characteristic of Indian sports administration are already unfolding.

The biggest shock came when current IOA President P.T. Usha failed to secure a place in the women’s category of the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections.

The SOM Election Results

The four elected women candidates are:

1. Anju Bobby George – 53 votes
2. Rani Rampal – 50 votes
3. Dola Banerjee – 45 votes
4. Saina Nehwal – 43 votes

P.T. Usha received only 40 out of 80 votes, finishing fifth and missing out on election.

Usha’s Pre-Poll Complaint Against Dola Banerjee

A day before the election, P.T. Usha filed a formal complaint with the Electoral Officer alleging violations of the Model Code of Conduct.

Usha objected to a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing former archer Dola Banerjee’s name. The message promoted the ‘New Bharat Panel’ and explicitly asked voters to elect four named candidates, providing their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers.

Model code violations cited: Usha argued that the message violated Clause 1.9 (prohibiting publicity or vote solicitation via new media/social networks) as well as Clauses 1.2 and 1.3, which mandate fair play, dignity, and moderation in campaigning.

Post-Election Fallout: Allegations of Fraud

Following her defeat, Usha alleged that the voting process was fraudulent and appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for intervention.

In a special report in The Tribune, Usha claimed a “big fraud” was orchestrated to remove her from leadership:

“Winning and losing is normal, but results have to be fair. I am certain that this result is fraudulent. I cannot finish fifth; I should be at the top. I know that I polled over 25 single-preference votes… Mathematically, it is impossible for her (Anju) to get 53 votes!”

Usha’s complaints also questioned:

Returning Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava: Alleging a failure to act on at least four separate complaints regarding Model Code violations.

Executive Members: Naming Bhupinder Singh Bajwa and Yogeshwar Dutt for improper vote solicitation.

Badminton Association of India (BAI): Accusing BAI Secretary Sanjay Mishra of forcing voters to verify their ballots using email acknowledgements.

Can the AFI Provide Another Route?

Even after losing the SOM election, Usha had a potential fallback path to the IOA General Assembly via an affiliated National Sports Federation (NSF)—specifically, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Under current guidelines, 30 eligible NSFs are entitled to two representatives each (one male, one female). However, sources within the AFI indicate the federation is unlikely to nominate her, which could effectively close her final route back into the General Assembly.

As of now, the Sports Ministry, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), and IOC have yet to issue official statements on Usha’s allegations.

The Asian Athletics Championships began in 1973 in the Philippines. Since then, the competition has grown into one of Asia’s most important senior athletics events, bringing together national teams from across the continent.

South Korea hosted the previous edition in Gumi, while Xiamen, China, will host the next edition in 2027.

At the last edition, India finished second in the overall medal standings with an impressive haul of 24 medals: 8 gold, 10 silver and 6 bronze.

The continental championships also hold particular importance as organisers traditionally schedule them ahead of the World Athletics Championships. Consequently, the event gives athletes a valuable opportunity to achieve qualifying standards and secure places at the global competition.

Meanwhile, NNIS Sports has learnt through multiple sources that Tamil Nadu is emerging as a front-runner to secure the hosting rights for the 2029 edition.

India has previously hosted the championships three times, with the last two editions taking place in Pune, Maharashtra, in 2013 and Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in 2017.

At the 2013 edition in Pune, India won 17 medals, comprising 2 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze. However, the 2017 edition in Bhubaneswar marked India’s most successful campaign in the competition’s history. The hosts claimed 29 medals — 12 gold, 5 silver and 12 bronze — and topped the Asian Athletics Championships medal table for the first time.

What Can Tamil Nadu Bring to the Table?

Tamil Nadu has established itself as one of India’s leading athletics states in recent years. The state has produced several prominent athletes, including triple jumper Praveen Chithravel and 400m hurdler Vithya Ramraj.

Furthermore, Tamil Nadu’s strength is evident from its performances at national competitions. The state won the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in both 2025 and 2026, highlighting its growing dominance.

The state’s emerging talent also impressed at the 2026 National Junior Athletics Championships. Neil Samraj broke the national records in both the men’s U18 100m and 200m. Meanwhile, Abinaya Rajarajan bettered her previous national record in the women’s U20 100m. Mrithika also recorded a personal best to win the women’s U18 100m title. All three athletes represent Tamil Nadu.

These performances highlight the state’s growing athletics ecosystem. They also reflect the depth of talent emerging through its grassroots and junior programmes.

The 2029 Asian Athletics Championships could also prove particularly significant for India, as the country has secured the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Therefore, hosting a major continental outdoor athletics competition would give India valuable experience in organising an international championship. It would also provide an important opportunity to strengthen the country’s preparations for the Commonwealth Games.

Athletics qualification at a glance

• Two main routes to the Olympics and World Championships: hit the entry standard, or rank high enough in the World Rankings.
• Maximum three athletes per country per individual event at both.
• Beijing 2027: about 40% of places by standard and 60% by ranking, with tougher standards than ever (men’s 100m: 9.95).
• LA 2028: 1,810 athletes in total; most event standards are still to be published.
• Asian Games: no world standards. Each country picks its own team; AFI set Indian standards close to sixth place at the previous Games.

Performance score = result score + placing score

Result score: your mark converted to points using the World Athletics scoring tables, adjusted for wind and other conditions.

Placing score: extra points for where you finished, depending on how important the meet is.

Mumbai Marathon at a glance

• First held: 2004, as the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon
• Organiser: Procam International
• Title sponsor: Standard Chartered (2004 to 2017), Tata Group (since 2018)
• Status: World Athletics Gold Label road race
• Course records: Hayle Lemi, 2:07:32 (men); Anchialem Haymanot, 2:24:15 (women), both Ethiopia, 2023
• 2026 edition: 21st edition, 18 January 2026, about 70,000 participants
• Next edition: 22nd edition, 17 January 2027

Imagine being unable to walk, undergoing ACL surgery, and then returning to the track to win an international medal less than a year later.

That is exactly what 17-year-old Shourya Ambure has done.

At the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Shourya won bronze in the Women’s 100m Hurdles, clocking 13.59 seconds. That’s not just a personal best. It’s also a new U18 National Record.

And she did it after recording another personal best of 13.77 seconds in the semi-finals.

But to understand what makes this medal special, we need to go back a year.

Shourya was already making waves in Indian athletics. She had won the U16 National title in the 60m, clocking 7.60 seconds — a National Record that still stands.

In 2025, she moved to the hurdles and won the U18 National title in the 100m Hurdles with a personal best of 13.86 seconds.

Then came December 2025.

While training at Railway Ground in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, Shourya’s foot reportedly landed in a small hole. She hit a hurdle and suffered an ACL tear in her left knee — her lead leg.

The injury was serious enough to leave her unable to walk. Even basic movement required crutches.

On January 1, 2026, she underwent surgery at Aspetar Hospital in Doha, Qatar. This was the same hospital where Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar had undergone knee surgery in 2024.

Sreeshankar also had some advice for the young hurdler: work on your mind as much as your body. His expression for it was, “Biohack your body.”

Shourya’s first major test after surgery came at the Youth Nationals in September 2026, which also served as the selection trials for the Youth Olympics.

She made an impressive start, recording the fastest time across all heats and breaking the meet record.

But the final didn’t go to plan.

Shourya fell during the race and finished last, clocking 19.29 seconds.

The title went to Karnataka’s Nupura Holla, who clocked a personal best of 13.78 seconds.

At that point, Nupura appeared to be the frontrunner for India’s Youth Olympic spot.

But there was a complication.

Although Nupura represented Karnataka, she was not eligible to represent India because she held a US passport and was not an Indian citizen.

Born in Georgia, USA, to Indian parents who were working there, Nupura is an American citizen of Indian origin and holds Overseas Citizen of India status.

But an OCI card does not confer Indian citizenship. And for international representation where Indian nationality is required, OCI status is not enough.

The federation therefore organised another qualifying race at SAI Bengaluru on September 21.

Shourya got another opportunity.

She clocked 13.09 seconds by hand timing, with 13.10 seconds recorded as her official time, and secured her place on the Indian team.

And now, in Dakar, she has delivered.

A bronze medal. Two consecutive personal bests. And a new U18 National Record of 13.59 seconds.

There is another milestone here.

Shourya has become the first Indian woman to win an athletics medal at the Youth Olympic Games.

From ACL surgery and crutches to a national record and an Olympic podium, her comeback has had several twists.

But perhaps the most significant part is this: at just 17, Shourya Ambure has already shown that her story is only beginning.