SAI opens training at Patiala, Bengaluru for elite athletes

Equipment would be self-sanitised by athletes after use, maintain social distancing and follow the staggered schedule provided for training.

Janneke Schopman, the analytical coach of the Indian women's hockey team, at a session in SAI, Bengaluru.

Olympic-bound athletes cloistered at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala and the Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru finally got the go-ahead to resume training starting Wednesday. 

A day after opening its stadia in Delhi to trainees, the Sports Authority of India cleared sporting activities for elite athletes, subject to ministry, SAI and NSF Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). While Patiala has athletes and weightlifters, Bengaluru has the men's and women’s hockey teams and a few athletes. However, only elite athletes either already qualified for the Olympics or part of the national camp and on the verge of qualifying would begin in the initial stage starting Wednesday evening.

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Equipment would be self-sanitised by athletes after use, maintain social distancing and follow the staggered schedule provided for training. The athletes have been stuck indoors for almost two months with nationwide lockdown amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.