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Hima Das has reportedly been dropped from the government of India's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) launched TOPS in September 2014 in an effort to boost India's performance at the Olympics and Paralympics. Under this scheme, athletes are helped with foreign training, international competition participation, equipment, and coaching camp. Besides this, they are also given a monthly stipend.
Das rose to fame in 2018 when she won the women's 400m final at the IAAF World Under-20 Athletics Championships, becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the event. Later, in May 2018, she was brought under the umbrella of TOPS with an eye on the Tokyo Olympics.
The 23-year-old, who has spent the majority of the year injured, has competed in only two events this season. She pulled her hamstring ahead of the Indian Grand Prix IV in Bangalore in April, which saw him skip the Federation Cup in Ranchi in May.
According to a report by Amar Ujala, the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has decided to drop Das from the TOPS list this month. The latest data on the Sports Authority of India (SAI) website states that there are 98 athletes in the Core group of TOPS and a further 165 athletes in the Developmental group.
Last month, MOC added 20 sportspersons under the TOPS, while dropping a few. The notable exclusions were shooters Apurvi Chandela, Tejaswini Sawant and Mairaj Ahmad Khan, and wrestler Seema Bisla.
Hima Das set to miss 2023 Asian Games
At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Hima Das won the 400m silver, the 4x400 mixed relay silver and the 4x400 women's relay gold. She, however, will not be able to match or better her results at the upcoming edition as injury has forced her to remain on the sidelines.
India's athletics chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair earlier confirmed that the hamstring injury she picked up in April is expected to keep her out of action for a few months.
''It is unfortunate she [Hima Das] was injured a day before the Indian Grand Prix IV in Bengaluru [on April 15]. She pulled a hamstring and also had a back problem. Now, a medical investigation is going on and planning for treatment. I believe that she will not be able to participate in the Asian Games as per the policy of the AFI,'' he was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Asian Games, which were originally scheduled to take place last year but were postponed to 2023, will be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8.
