NEW DELHI: The All India Council of Sports (AICS) at its 10th annual meeting on Friday urged the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), National Sports Federations (NSF) and chief ministers of all states to provide athletes with medical insurance, Press Trust of India reports.
The AICS chairman Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who is also a veteran leader of India’s ruling party BJP, had raised this issue back in April as well when he also demanded 5% of jobs to be reserved for sportspersons. IANS had reported that he had taken the matter up with the Ministry of Health and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is yet under consideration.
“In the absence of any concrete medical assistance scheme for sportspersons, chief ministers of all states, Indian Olympic Association and National Sports Federations have been requested to provide medical insurance coverage to their respective sportspersons,” Malhotra was quoted as saying in a release.
“Since there is a dire need of medical attendance to sportspersons, AICS has requested the Army Medical Service to extend their facilities to our sportspersons especially for the sportspersons living in remote areas like Arunachal Pradesh, Leh (Ladakh), Andaman & Nicobar Island,” he added.
Malhotra appreciated the recent performance of Indian archers and shuttlers for winning medals in various international tournaments. He wished luck to the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games.
