New Delhi: India, the world's second most populous nation with more than one billion people, are hinging their hopes on hockey and the reunited tennis duo Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi for medals at the Sydney Olympics.

Ashok Mattoo, Chef de Mission of the Indian Games contingent, couldn't single out any clear Indian medal favourites except for hockey, once dominated by this country.

"We have had glory in this sport and there is no reason why it should not be repeated. I would not like to single out any sport at this stage but my expectations are from all those who are going," Mattoo told Reuters in an interview.



India were the powerhouse of hockey when it was played on grass, and won eight golds, one silver and two bronze medals at the summer Olympics. The shift to astroturf, and the increasing proficiency of nations such as the Netherlands and Australia, changed the scene.

School-level sports neglected

India have not won a major international tournament since a hollow success in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, when Western nations boycotted the Games over Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.

"Our past record in the Olympics has not really been good but I am hopeful that things are shaping well," Mattoo said. "I would not give you any indication in numbers but I can assure you that the boys and girls would be given the right opportunity. The right atmosphere for them will be created to give of their best," Mattoo said.

He said Bhupathi and Paes, the former world number one men's doubles pair, would be the other major contenders for an Olympic medal following their recent reunion after a brief split.

"Tennis is a very big hope. Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes are going to play together in doubles, and Leander has also got a wild card in the singles," Mattoo said.

"They are our hopes. There is an expectation in tennis as Leander has got a medal in the past and I am sure the duo will continue to maintain what they have done and do better," he said.

Paes came away from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with a bronze - India's only medal at the Games.

Need for future planning

Mattoo said it would take years of future planning and sincere commitment before India could entertain serious medal hopes from their sportsmen and women.

"I think we really need to have a re-look at our entire scenario. The question is: Can you produce a gold medallist in one, two, five or 10 years? The answer is no. We have to broad-base our sports and we need to create an infrastructure all over," he said.

"The investment in sports by other countries is far greater than what we are doing. We (the government) are in fact recognising schools without playgrounds," Mattoo said.

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