The government is reinvesting in sports in India, says junior French shooting team manager Eric Egretaud

Pune, July 18 (IANS) Junior French Shooting Team manager Eric Egretaud spoke about his visit to India and his experience observing Indian shooters from across the country in the latest episode of the House of Glory podcast, an initiative by the Gagan Narang Sports Foundation

Eric highlighted commonalities in the ecosystem for the sport in both India and France that make them frontrunners in major global competitions. "There are many similarities between the Indian ecosystem and the French ecosystem," Eric said.

"When we came here, we thought it would be very different from our system, and even the philosophy and technique would be different. But we found many common points in the approach to training and technique."

However, what stands out in India according to Eric is the private and government funded initiatives which gives the sport a huge fillip. "The government is reinvesting in sports in India, which is completely the opposite of France," he said. "Our sports budget is decreasing almost all the time, and even though we had a budget for the Olympics, they're cutting funds after the Olympics."

Eric also shared his experience attending the National Shooting Trials in June 2025, where he was impressed by the high level of competition. "In France, we have a small number of athletes, so when we spot talent, we invest a lot of energy and follow up closely," he explained. "In India, there are many talented athletes at various levels, and the level is already high in Group B."

Eric concluded by sharing his philosophy on athlete development: "Focus on yourself and enjoy. It's not only about the results."

--IANS

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