The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was felt on the national sports budget as the central government on Monday allocated Rs 2596.14 crore for the financial year 2021-22 -- a reduction of Rs 230.78 crore when compared to the amount earmarked initially for the previous year. In the last financial year, the government had allocated Rs 2826.92 crore for sports, which was later revised to Rs 1800.15 crore because of the lack of activity caused by the pandemic. This year`s allocated amount is Rs 795.99 crore more than the revised budget of 2020-21.

However, the spending last year was severely impacted after Tokyo Olympics was postponed, domestic events were cancelled in almost all sports and no foreign training and competition was possible for most of the Indian athletes. The sports ministry bears the cost of all foreign training and competition, including participation in the Olympics. "Initially, sports was allocated Rs 2826.92 in last year`s budget which was later revised to Rs 1800.15 after all sporting events across the world came to a halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic," a sports ministry official told PTI, hinting why comparison should not be made with the revised budget of last year. "There was hardly any activity last year as most of the national camps were closed because of the lockdown. "In terms of infrastructure development and upgradation of stadiums too, there was hardly any progress because of the pandemic," the official added, without divulging further details.