It is important to make a start
“I have already spoken to all NSFS and told them to prepare a roadmap for competitive events, possibly September onwards. If sports begins, it gives the message that things are slowly returning to normal,” says Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju in this exclusive chat.
back to their homes. The only athletes who stayed back were the men’s and women’s hockey teams at our National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and a few of our Olympicbound athletes in NCOE Patiala. So, we ensured that these two centres were completely safe and sanitised. Entry of any outsider was banned on both these campuses and SOPS (standard operating procedures) were put in place to ensure that all socialdistancing norms, cleanliness and hygiene were followed in both the centres. The athletes who went home also needed to continue with their training, so we started online training for all elite, junior and subjunior athletes, which is still on.
What has been the government’s approach to resumption of competitive sport? When do you think it can be resumed?
We are in the Unlock 2 phase, and things are slowly opening up in all spheres. However, the situation is still unpredictable. It is tough to say when we may actually be able to resume competitive sport. But I have already spoken to all NSFS (national sports federations) and told them to prepare a roadmap for competitive events, possibly September onwards. These will be events conducted in controlled atmosphere and we can’t have any spectators. These events are important not just to bolster the morale of the athletes, but also to create a sense of normalcy. If sports begins, it gives the message that things are slowly returning to normal.
What eorts has the Sports Ministry made to reach out to sportsmen and provide them support?
Once the oneld training of athletes was stopped, we needed to ensure that our athletes would still remain t and mentally motivated. Athletes at dierent levels of training need dierent levels of motivation to stay with the game. Our priority was to ensure that our elite athletes, especially those bound for Olympics next year, could be kept in top form, and all their requirements were fullled. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme mapped 107 athletes and paraathletes for equipment and resource support. 43 athletes raised requests for equipment and other resources, and SAI (Sports Authority of India) was able to deliver it to most of the athletes despite the lockdown.
For our athletes in the subjunior, junior and developmental groups, we organised a series of workshops, which is still underway. The Sports Authority of India is organising the Athlete and Coaches Education Programme in 21 sporting disciplines, where
top coaches of the sport are holding online training session for athletes across the country [while] stationed in their homes. Online studios have been set up in all SAI’S National Centres of Excellence from where top coaches, many of them Arjuna and Dronacharya awardees, are taking their classes. It’s a twoway video session, so even the coaches can see the trainees as they practise. A group of highperformance managers are overseeing these classes and keeping track of the progress of each athlete. To ensure the mental wellness of athletes, online sessions were conducted by sports pschycologists, who kept the athletes motivated.
How have the NSFS cooperated with the ministry?
I have been in touch with all the NSFS. I held online meetings with representatives of more than 40 NSFS and the president and general secretary of the Indian Olympic Association during the period of lockdown. The NSFS and the Sports Ministry have been on the same page regarding all key decisions regarding the resumption of sports. All decisions have been taken in consultation with the NSFS.
Do you believe it has been the most depressing phase for Indian sportsmen and how to come out of it?
For a sportsperson, his or her game, the oneld training is the core of their life. To be deprived of that for a period as long as this leads to a sense of frustration. For our
Olympicbound athletes, the situation has been tougher because they were perhaps in their best form or working towards their best form when the pandemic hit. The sudden closure of all training has hit them both physically and mentally. However, when I interacted with athletes across various sporting disciplines through an online video conference, I found most of them to be very positive. All of them took on inroom tness regimens and tried to stay in form. This shows that they have handled the situation very well. I am condent that as they go back to oneld training, matters will improve. The ministry is standing rmly behind them to provide any assistance they may need on this road to resumption.
Are you game for resuming sports without spectators? How much would that help sports overall?
I see that as the only way forward in the immediate future. I think it is important to make a start. We have to be innovative with sports events. If we can’t have spectators, we can surely beam the events on TV and on social media. I have already discussed with the NSFS and asked them to come up with plans of some domestic leagues around end of August or September onwards. I think to resume sporting events is crucial for the overall morale of our athletes and also to bring about a sense of normalcy in the country. Resumption of sports events will also empower the economic side of the sports ecosystem, and that is also very important right now.