Govt planning to re-start national camps from May end: Sports Minister
Sunday, 3 May 2020 (15:19 IST)
New Delhi: Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday said that the country is looking forward how to take up the challenges and emerge as strong sports nation post-COVID-19.
Addressing FICCI’s webinar ‘Corona and Sports: The Champions Speak,’ Mr Rijiju also said the government is planning to relax the restrictions partially looking at the Olympics.
“By the end of May, training of national camps for Olympics is expected to start in Bengaluru and Patiala, where athletes are based currently”, he said and added that the camps will start in phase-wise manner.
The Sports Ministry had suspended the camps due to Coronavirus spread in mid-March and subsequently announced lockdown to tackle the contagious disease.
A few days ago, the government has extended the lockdown period till May 17.
Mr Rijiju also said that the training camps “will be for those spots which have qualified for Olympics or the spots whose Olympic qualification is in future”.
Mr Rijiju stated that his Ministry will focus on the grassroot level of the sports in post-COVID period and invited Corporate’s involvement.
“Corporates must partner with Central Government for district and state level ‘Khelo India’ initiatives”, he added. (UNI)
