Coronavirus pandemic will amplify economic slowdown effect to sports, need govt support until 2022 cycle: IOA chief Narinder Batra

By   - 05/06/2020

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Narinder Batra believes the economic slowdown effect will amplify due to the coronavirus lockdown. He says that the reluctance of the private section to invest in Indian sport other than cricket will likely intensity due to the pandemic. A majority of India’s elite athletes come under Sports Authority of India (SAI) and their Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) programme. Batra says while the government will continue to support them, it is expected that private players in the Indian sports industry will have a difficult time meeting more than “60 to 70 per cent” of their financial support.

“[For the] Olympics, government support is not going to dry up. We have been assured that all athletes, all trainees, everything is going on track,” Batra said during a webinar on Wednesday. “If you ask me honestly, will I be getting money from private business houses for the next one year — I have my doubts,” reported ESPN.

Top 10 world champions who are yet to win Olympic gold medal

As of March 2020, TOPS has 94 athletes across 13 disciplines, including para-sport, and names like Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, Manu Bhaker, Bajrang Punia, MC Mary Kom, and Vinesh Phogat. Furthermore, there are 85 junior athletes who have been categorised under the developmental group, and SAI assists them with training, participation, equipment, hiring of support staff and a monthly allowance as an incentive. For athletes who have are not covered by either scheme such as badminton player Lakshya Sen rely on the Olympic Gold Quest for support.

Batra, who is also the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), spoke about how both the FIH and the IOA had been in touch with private companies that sponsor them during the pandemic.

“At both the place, we have been able to gather around 60 to 70 per cent with the sponsors, and they are on board. This balance 30 to 40 per cent, I think they comprehend our compulsion that the sport has to run with their, and this situation has developed which is neither they are doing nor ours. So maybe this [association] might extend a bit, but if you are looking for any new investment from a private partner, I can’t see it coming,” said Batra.

“We are struggling with about five to seven per cent of the money, within which we have to survive. I don’t see how that will change — as long as the government has assured us, not just till the Olympic but till the Commonwealth and Asian Games in 2022. We are secure over there”.

Talking on the resumption of competitions, Batra said that the governing body hopes to see national events kickstart from October provided the situation “does not go bad” in the country. Batra also said easing of restrictions for contact sports like boxing and wrestling seems unlikely until a treatment for COVID-19 or a vaccine is developed as there is a higher risk of transmission of the virus.

“If I”m not wrong we should be seeing national championship, competitions coming up from October provided things don”t go bad,” Batra said.

“That”s the internal strategy for now, depending upon the situation and way things pan out,” he added. All sporting activities in the country were brought to a grinding halt on March 25 after the central government announced a nationwide lockdown to fight against coronavirus outbreak. The National Games to be held in Goa later this year were also postponed.

However, sportspersons heaved a sigh of relief when the government, on May 17, permitted the use of stadia and sports complexes without spectators and under strict guidelines, allowing the athletes to return to outdoor training.

Wrestling (Kushti) fans can catch Live Streaming, Highlights, News, Videos, Photos, Results and Rankings on WrestlingTV

Leave a Comment

Follow us
Slot Thailand Gacor
Anti Rungkad
Akun Gacor
https://depo-slot.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
Slot Menang
https://slot-jp.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
Anti Rungkad
Slot Zeus X500
Mpo Slot
Slot 777 Thailand
Akun Gacor
https://slot-thailand.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
https://slot-kamboja.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
https://akun-slot.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
https://akun-pro.kecsukorejo.kendalkab.go.id/
server amerika server eropa server filipina server hongkong server jepang server kamboja server malaysia server myanmar server singapore server thailand server vietnam server amerika server eropa server filipina server hongkong server jepang server kamboja server malaysia server myanmar server singapore server thailand server vietnam slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan server amerika server eropa server filipina server hongkong server jepang server kamboja server malaysia server myanmar server singapore server vietnam server amerika server eropa server filipina server hongkong server jepang server kamboja server malaysia server myanmar server singapore server vietnam server amerika server eropa server filipina server hongkong server jepang server kamboja server malaysia server myanmar server singapore server vietnam slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan slot asia slot belanda slot china slot dubai slot internasional slot korea slot macau slot rusia slot sensasional slot taiwan