'SAI' of relief for athletes as outdoor training resumes

CHANDIGARH: The uncertainty over resumption of outdoor fitness training for Olympic-bound athletes at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala and the SAI centre in Bengaluru, has finally ended with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) clearing all hurdles to restart training from Wednesday.
Interestingly, the SAI decision has come, a day after TOI had carried a report where the Olympic-bound athletes, including the likes of star javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra and Shivpal Singh, were visibly miffed at the confusion over the resumption of outdoor training.It is understood that the athletes will be allowed to train at these facilities from Wednesday evening.
Frustrated at being repeatedly being asked to stay indoors, despite the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) allowing resumption of outdoor fitness training from Monday, both the javelin throwers had on Tuesday urged the authorities to either let them train or allow them to return to their respective homes. The SAI, which had released their Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) last Thursday, also did not give the green signal to restart the training of these elite athletes.
Following the release of the SOP, a task force, under NIS Patiala's senior executive director Col Raj Bishnoi, was formed to implement it, but athletes were not allowed to venture outside their hostel premises.
But on Wednesday, following the TOI's report, the SAI has finally decided to resume sporting activities at both the NIS Patiala and the SAI centre in Bengaluru.
"The elite athletes at Patiala and Bengaluru have resumed sporting activities from Wednesday, in strict compliance of the health guidelines of the government and the Standard Operating Procedure released by the Sports Authority of India to be followed at all its sports complexes and stadia, across the country," a SAI official told TOI.
The NIS, Patiala currently houses weightlifters, including those bound for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, and eminent athletes, many of who have already won an Olympic quota, while the SAI centre, Bengaluru has members of the senior men's and women's hockey team. Both the hockey teams have qualified for the Olympics.
Training under strict SOP guidelines
The SAI official further said that all athletes and officials have been briefed on adhering to the strict social distancing norms and SOP guidelines released by both SAI and AFI. Relay training will not include contact or baton exchange. Sharing of personal equipment-javelin, discus, hurdles set, starting blocks, shot put-is prohibited, according to the SOP guidelines.
"In keeping with the government guidelines, all necessary safety measures of hygiene and social distancing are being maintained by athletes on the field of play. Equipments are being self-sanitised by athletes after use and no two athletes are allowed to use the same equipment during the sports activity," said the official.
"In Patiala and Bengaluru, athletes have been given a staggered schedule for participation in sporting activities, to ensure social distancing norms. Sanitisations of hands, shoes and kits are being followed at both centres," he added.
Furthermore, the coaches and a task force will be tasked to decide on the number of athletes in all the arenas as per social distancing norms.