Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra quits Target Olympic Podium

Abhinav Bindra resigned from the TOP scheme to focus on his training and preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

New Delhi: Ace shooter Abhinav Bindra on Thursday resigned from the Sports Ministry's Target Olympic Podium (TOP) scheme to focus on his training and preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The 2008 Olympic gold medalist in a letter to the chairman of TOP scheme Anurag Thakur, said that he will "have no time to spare during the next year to actively contribute towards the Scheme."

My letter to the Chairman of TOPS is attached. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/s0eleatdLX — Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) October 29, 2015

The 33-year-old, who competes in 10m Air Rifle categories, added that "the committee will be better served by someone who can make a meaningful contribution."

He was part of the athletes identification committee of the TOP Scheme, which was assigned to select right candidates in Archery, Badminton, Boxing, Shooting, Wrestling and Yachting. Other members of the TOP Scheme Elite Athletes Identification Committee are Rahul Dravid, Pullela Gopichand and MC Mary Kom, besides chairman Thakur.

TOP scheme was initiated by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF) in April this year to identify athletes who are potential medal winners in Olympics and providing appropriate support to them.