NEW DELHI: “Sparring, using of the ring/mat and sharing of equipment is not allowed for contact sports such as wrestling and boxing.” Quoting directly from Sports Authority of India’s much-awaited Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to restart training, which was released Thursday.
That, for one, rules out any “pistols at dawn” kind of face-off between the feuding top brass of the Indian Olympic Association – IOA president Narinder Batra and secretary general Rajeev Mehta.
The release of SAI’s 45-page SOP, which addressed the matter of resumption of training for India’s elite athletes, brought to the fore an unseemly power tussle between Batra and Mehta via an acerbic exchange of emails.
While Batra stated his intention to reduce the workload of Mehta so as allow for spending “more quality time with your family in Nainital”, the IOA secretary general retorted it was the International Hockey Federation who needed it considering how he was holding several key positions to himself.
In an email written to Mehta, Batra specified: “I have decided to take over/divide much of your work load and will be doing the needful in days to come and since I am Delhi based and few other people who are regularly coming to Delhi will now have to share the divided responsibilities/burden. Your very important advice will always be sought (sic).”
He added: “By doing the above you will be able to spend more quality time with your family in Nainital and also attend to your business which also is in Uttrakhand.”
In his reply, Mehta retorted: “…My family appreciated my commitment and is supportive of my endeavours and will like to see me doing more for sports by stationing myself in Delhi and discharging my responsibilities as secretary general of IOA.”
“As for your desire to take over some of my responsibilities, I may inform you that I am perfectly comfortable with the work load assigned to me by the General Body, as their elected secretary general. If you had such desires of doing day to day affairs, I would have stepped down in 2017 and you should have contested as secretary general of IOA,” Mehta added.
Mehta also took a dig at Batra for holding several key positions himself. “It’s not me that holds the position of IF and NOC office bearer/president at the same time with no time for family. I wish the same to you. You should spend quality time with your family in Delhi while you continue your work with Hockey India and the International Hockey Federation for the advancement of Hockey,” Mehta said in his reply.
On Thursday, Mehta had expressed his concerns to The Tribune, over the haste in facilitating training after the break due to the coronavirus.
The SOP for the resumption of training by athletes across SAI centres and other facilities in India was released on Thursday.
“Why are we rushing to restart training when the cases are on the rise? There are indications cases will only rise in the coming months. These athletes are our national treasure and safeguarding their health should be our topmost priority,” Mehta told The Tribune.
“It is not right for us to force them to restart training. Who will be responsible if one amongst them gets this dreaded virus?” he asked.
SAI releases SOP
Earlier on Thursday, SAI released the much-awaited SOP to restart training. The 45-page document stresses the need to maintain social distancing norms and sanitisation of equipment, and also suggests outdoor training for badminton players wherever feasible. Indoor court training would be held only for singles players, during which only two players and a coach would be allowed to train and the adjoining court would be vacant.
Sparring, using of the ring/mat and sharing of equipment is not allowed for contact sports such as wrestling and boxing. For hockey, only 12 players would be allowed to take part in training, with focus on individual drills, to be done by the players in their designated areas.
Before starting training, all athletes would have to sign a ‘Training Consent Form’ acknowledging the risk associated with resuming training. It will have to be signed by the chief coach. Further, all the National Sports Federations will have to send in a signed undertaking before their athletes start training.
Related Report
MHA issues SOP for reopening of sports stadia
