Paddlers apprehensive about camp
India’s top table tennis players are apprehensive about travelling for training camps even as the national federation attempts to resume sporting activity about two months after the global coronavirus outbreak brought sports to a halt.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) reached out to the country’s top paddlers for their approval to organise a 10day training camp in June and emailed the players sharing the details of how it plans to conduct the camp.
“I am sending it (the email) with the government SOP (Standard Operating Procedure). The government had given us guidelines on sanitisation, social distancing and other preventive measures. But our guidelines will be more extensive and camprelated,” said M. P. Singh, secretary general of the TTFI.
Singh said the TTFI is considering conducting the camp in the second half of June, with Patiala, Chennai, Kolkata, Sonepat and New Delhi among the options for hosting it.
“Kolkata looks dicult because of the havoc wreaked by Cyclone Amphan recently. We will have to check if S. Raman’s facility (in Chennai) will be able to accommodate 1■20 players, including coaches, while maintaining sanitisation and social distancing. There is a school in New Delhi which has an airconditioned facility, so that’s an option as well,” Singh said.
The plan will be executed only after the players’ approval and in complete coordination with the central and state governments, said the TTFI secretary general, adding that safety and health will be the priorities.
“Two camps, for male and female players, will be conducted at the same venue but at dierent timings. A maximum of 10 players along with a coach will train together at any given point,” Singh said. “The morning
The Table Tennis Federation of India has reached out to the country’s top paddlers for their approval to organise a 10day training camp.
and the evening sessions will have two threehour slots, one each for male and female players. Between each session, sanitisation will take place. We will maintain social distancing and follow all the guidelines strictly at all times. Everyone will have separate rooms and toilets.”
Singh added that there was a possibility of conducting separate camps for men and women on dierent dates.
World No. 31 A. Sharath Kamal said he was happy with the TTFI’S proactive response to the coronavirusforced lockdown, but he had his reservations about travelling, especially with the uncertainty looming over ight schedules. “Yes, the ights have started, but a lot of them are still being cancelled. A lot of doubts are yet to be cleared. Moreover, it’s not only about the safety of the players. We also need to keep in mind the safety of the cleaners, the cooks and the maintenance sta at the facility.”
G. Sathiyan, the world No. 32, hopes the camp happens in his home town Chennai, but he too is doubtful whether players from dierent states will be able to travel. “The camp is not an issue, but let the ights operate more regularly. The routes are currently very limited and most states have set up quarantine rules. A lot still needs to be worked out, so I am not entirely sure I would want to travel,” he said.
Surat’s Harmeet Desai, who is also apprehensive about travelling, said he will consult his teammates before deciding. “I will also consult with my family before arriving at a decision. I don’t think the problem is staying in the facility at training. The risk lies while travelling, meeting and interacting with others. A lot of players will come from dierent parts of the country.”
The TTFI email listing the guidelines followed up its mail to top players on May 1■ for their opinion on conducting the camp.