Hockey teams return to light field training
The teams have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics to be held next year and were stuck at the SAI centre after national camps were suspended because of the lockdown.
After over two months of lockdown and nearly 10 days of extended isolation following the death of a cook, who visited the Sports Authority of India (SAI) South Centre in Bengaluru and tested positive for Covid-19 after his death, the Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams started light on-field training.
The teams have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics to be held next year and were stuck at the SAI centre after national camps were suspended because of the lockdown.
“Sport activities on the field of play for both senior men’s and senior women’s core probables group began in Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru Campus on Monday in a systematic and phased manner with all norms under the SOP being followed by both teams,” Hockey India said in a press release on Wednesday.
Hockey India said, SAI has ensured that all measures were in place in accordance with the government guidelines and SOP to ensure safety of players and staff.
The synthetic turf is being disinfected daily an hour before training sessions and players have to go through thermal screening before stepping onto the turf. Players have been briefed and are well-aware of the SOP norms, HI said.
Currently the players are doing basic hockey exercises individually and maintaining social distance. They have been told to avoid contact.
The players cannot return to full training immediately as certain restrictions are still in place and the coaches are hoping they get permission to go full tilt soon. Outsiders are still not allowed to enter the campus, which means SAI will have to make do with temporary arrangements to serve players.
With the players were doing limited fitness activities in their rooms for the last two months, they were on restricted diet. With them set to gradually increase their workload and have longer training sessions, temporary arrangements would not work and SAI will have to allow regular cooks, who do not stay inside the campus, to take charge of the meals. On that decision, SAI is going to wait and watch for now.
