Track legend PT Usha has requested Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to vaccinate sportspersons, their coaches, support staff and medical team, who will participate in the forthcoming National and other competitions, on priority basis.
"Urgent: a humble request to @CMOKerala to vaccinate sports persons, their coaches, support staff & medical team, who will participate in the forth coming National & other competition on priority. We just can't ignore sports section! @vijayanpinarayi @MoHFW_INDIA @KirenRijiju," PT Usha tweeted.
Meanwhile, in comparison to the players who are preparing for nationals and other competitions, most Olympic-bound athletes have received their COVID-19 vaccine doses.
Till now, around 120 athletes and 27 para-athletes have received their first dose of the vaccine while 58 athletes and four para-athletes have got their second dose. Moreover, 114 coaches and support staff have got their first dose while 37 members have received their second dose as well.
"Of the actual Olympic bound athletes, only 5 are left for their 1st dose. All five were Covid positive and have since recovered," sources in the known developments told ANI. Boxer Simranjeet, four Shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, Rahi Sarnobat, Deepak Kumar, and Mairaj Ahmed Khan are the ones who are left to get vaccines.
On the vaccination of Olympic-bound athletes, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra said, "From IOC's side, there is nothing mandatory, they have some guidelines in Tokyo, if you reach the finals and then you test positive for COVID-19, so nobody knows what will happen. But why wait for such a situation, the best solution is that we get every party associated vaccinated. It is our duty to get our athletes vaccinated."
Tokyo Olympics will begin on July 23 and the Games will run up to August 8 this year. The event was slated to be held last year, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
( With inputs from ANI )
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