Sports ministry clears fencer Bhavani Devi’s proposal for international training camp and events

Bhavani Devi was granted approval to train in France for a period of eight months under Christian Bauer. She was also provided grants to compete in several Sabre World Cups and Grand Prix across Europe and South America.

FILE PHOTO: Bhavani Devi during the 36th National Games in Gujarat. | Photo Credit: KRISHNAN VV/The Hindu

The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has cleared Indian fencer Bhavani Devi’s proposal to continue her training in Bauer Fencing Academy, Orleans, France.

Bhavani, who has been training under French coach Christian Bauer, recently won a bronze in women’s sabre event at the Asian Championships, and became the first Indian to medal at the event.

“Her international training camp for France has been approved for a period of eight months and will cover her training camp cost, air fare, boarding/lodging costs, local transportation cost, physiotherapy/ massage sessions, training fee, license fee and insurance cost among other expenditure,” the ministry said in a release on Friday.

The MOC also cleared Bhavani’s multiple short period training camps in Georgia, Turkey and Algeria along with cost to cover her participation in Sabre World Cup in Algeria, Grand Prix in France, Grand Prix in Tunisia, Sabre World Cup in Lima, Peru, Sabre World Cup Sabre in Athens and Sabre World Cup in Belgium.

For all these events, Bhavani’s airfare, boarding/lodging cost, local transportation charges, OPA and Visa fee would be covered by the government under Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) funding, with the total expenditure amounting to Rs 34,36,000 approximately.

The MOC also cleared pistol shooter Anish’s proposal to train under foreign coach Ralf Schumann in Suhl, Germany for 15 days and paddler Archana Kamath’s proposal to compete in WTT Contender in Rio De Janeiro, WTT Contender in Almaty, Kazakhstan and WTT Contender in Muscat, Oman.