MOC to fund Olympic-bound Bopanna and Balaji’s two ATP events

Bopanna and Balaji will head to Hamburg and Umag, Croatia along with their coach and physiotherapist to compete in the ATP 500 events before they head to Paris.

FILE PHOTO: India’s Rohan Bopanna in action. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) of the Sports Ministry has approved tennis ace Rohan Bopanna’s request for assistance for him and his doubles partner Sriram Balaji to compete in two ATP Tour events ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Bopanna and Balaji will head to Hamburg and Umag, Croatia along with their coach and physiotherapist to compete in the ATP 500 events before they head to Paris.

The MOC also approved requests of shooters Rhythm Sangwan, Sarabjot Singh, Vijayveer and Anish Bhanwala for assistance towards expenses of personal coaches or trainers during the Olympic training camp in Volmerange, France and Paris Olympics.

Target Olympic Podium Scheme will cover their cost of flight, board and lodging, visa and local transport.

Skeet shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka’s requests for assistance to train with personal coaches Riccardo Fillipelli in Arrezo, Italy, and Ennio Falco at the Tiro A Volo Falco range in Capua, Italy, respectively were also approved by the MOC.

During the meeting, the MOC decided to extend assistance to steeplechasers Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary as well as their coach Scott Simmons to train in St Moritz, Switzerland for 24 days before the Olympic Games.

The women’s 4x400m relay team’s request for assistance to procure equipment and table tennis player Harmeet Desai’s request to support training in Biberach, Germany, and the purchase of various consumables as well fee for support staff were also approved by the MOC.

The MOC inducted 400m sprinter Kiran Pahal, high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare and shot putter Abha Khatua in the TOPS core group for the Paris Olympics cycle.