SAI faces 554 coaching vacancies, says Sports Minister Mansukh MandaviyaSports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the Rajya Sabha that 554 coaching posts remain vacant in the Sports Authority of India. The minister said that the number of sample collection sessions at grassroots-level events, including school, university, state, and zonal-level events has also gone up. “A total of 20 sample collection sessions were conducted in 2025, and 55 sample collection sessions have been conducted in 2026 up to July 2026,” he noted. In addition, the Sample Collection Personnel (SCP) workforce has also been strengthened through “regular recruitment, training, and re-accreditation programmes.” “At present 527 athletes of football discipline are being trained at various SAI centres across the country,” read the minister’s statement.