The subject is furiously debated every four years whenever the Olympics are held, the government orders a probe, the media is in a state of hysteria, before discussions are put on the backburner till the next Games comes around.

Meanwhile, the nation's obsession with cricket grows. The world may be glued to Athens, but India's eyes will be on the high-profile cricket series against arch-rivals Pakistan and world champions Australia to be played in the Netherlands at the same time.

The Olympics do not enthuse India's millions, for there is little to celebrate. The last time India won a gold medal was in hockey at the western-boycotted Moscow Games of 1980.

Only three Indians have won individual bronze medals, wrestler KD Jadhav in 1952, tennis player Leander Paes in 1996 and women's weightlifter Karnam Malleswari in 2000.

These were marvellous achievements by spirited individuals from a country where sports ranks very low in the government's priorities.

Yet, none of them enjoy the fame and wealth reserved for the Sachin Tendulkars, Rahul Dravids and Sourav Gangulys of cricket.

Few are dreaming of gold at Athens. A bronze itself will be cause for celebration and long jumper Anju Bobby George, Malleswari and the reunited Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi doubles combination will keep the interest alive.

India's sportspersons shine despite the system, not because of it.

"We compete on our own steam," said Anju, who won India's first medal at a world track and field meet when she finished third in the long jump at Paris in 2003.

"If the government wants medals in top events, they will have to provide world class facilities to the athletes. What we get in India is rubbish."

Determined not to be beaten by the system, Anju and her husband-coach Bobby George left India two months before the Games to train and participate in meets in Europe.

Some of the gloom that pervades Indian sport is self-inflicted, like the floundering hockey team and the off-on tennis doubles duo of Paes and Bhupathi.

India, who won the last of their eight Olympic hockey golds in 1980, sacked 14 coaches in the last 11 years before settling for their first foreign coach, German Gerhard Rach, barely three weeks before Athens Games.

Whether Rach can galvanise the team in the short time available to him -- or even survive the entire tournament himself -- remains to be seen. One of his predecessors, Cedric D'Souza, was sacked midway through the 2002 World Cup.

"If the team does well, the coach will take the credit. If not, he can say there was not enough time," said former Olympian Zafar Iqbal.

"Rach is in a win-win situation. Hope India is too."

Paes and Bhupathi, who won three Grand Slam doubles titles, parted ways in 1999 due to differences over a coach, ending India's most celebrated success story in the tennis world.

They reunited for the 2000 Sydney Games and made a quick exit, and will be back again in Athens hoping to ignite the old magic in Paes' fourth and final Olympic appearance.

Former Indian tennis champion Ramanathan Krishnan rules out a medal, but Bhupathi disagrees. "If anyone thinks we don't have a chance to win, they'd better wake up and smell the coffee," he was quoted as saying recently.