Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports has said that whenever an international competition will be held in India, he will ensure that the international athletes are asked to be in quarantine for minimal days so that they are not discouraged.
ISSF Combined Shooting World Cup is scheduled to be held in Delhi from March 18-29. The New Delhi World Cup will see as many as 30 finals being held at an ISSF World Cup stage for the first time with the new team formats approved by the ISSF last year coming into play.
All selections were based on the latest NRAI rankings. Korea, Singapore, USA, United Kingdom, Iran, Ukraine, France, Hungary, Italy, Thailand, and Turkey have already confirmed their participation in the World Cup.
"I have already assured that whenever an international competition will be held in India, we will take such steps so that protocols can be maintained and the foreign players would not be put in a quarantine where their duration is extended and they are discouraged. If our players are asked to stay in quarantine for 14 days, then they also would not like to go. Some protocols are there and we will do our best so that the players can be asked to stay in quarantine for minimal days," said Rijiju while interacting with select media here in Ahmedabad.
"We will maintain everything properly. We will ask the athletes to get tested for Covid-19 in their native country, as soon as they reach India, they will be tested again. We will keep them in a good environment so that their health is looked after," he added.
When asked about when the Tokyo-bound Olympics will be vaccinated, Rijiju said: "Covid-19 vaccine is something that the Health Ministry needs to decide. It has already been decided that the vaccination drive needs to begin with Covid warriors. The doctors, nurses, medical team have to take care of everybody so they need to be safe first. The vaccination process has started for them and after that, the players and all will come. Covid warriors are the priority."
"The athletes will be vaccinated before the Olympics. The Sports Ministry has decided that once Covid-19 warriors are vaccinated, then our priority is to vaccinate our athletes who are Tokyo Olympics-bound. Overall priority needs to be decided by the Health Ministry. Our Sports Ministry has already stated that we have a priority of vaccinating our athletes," he added.
Rijiju also said that he is highly optimistic about India's chances in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and the Minister said that the contingent will make the country proud.
"Tokyo Olympics got postponed by one year, but the dates are the same. Because of Covid, the precautionary measures and protocols need to be regulated, every country is preparing for the Olympics. Tokyo Olympics would go ahead, there is no doubt about it. Olympics will go ahead and India will do well too," Rijiju signed off.
( With inputs from ANI )
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