Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines: MHA Allows Sports Complexes, Stadiums To Open And Restart Training of Athletes

Lockdown 4.0 Guidelines - Ministry of Home Affairs permitted sports complexes to open in the fourth phase of the coronavirus-forced lockdown,

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Lockdown 4.0 guidelines: Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday allowed Sports Complexes to resume in order to restart the training of athletes which came to a halt in mid-March due the nationwide lockdown enforced in wake of coronavirus. The development has come a day before the country begins fourth phase of nationwide lockdown that has been extended from May 18 till May 31. The Government of India under the Disaster Management Act 2005, unveiled 12 new guidelines to regulate and monitor different activities in this period. According to the order, the government will continue to prohibit operations of metro train services and domestic flights. Moreover, public places such as malls, gyms, restaurants, worship areas will continue to remain inaccessible for citizens. However, Ministry of Home Affairs permitted sports complexes to open in the fourth phase of the coronavirus-forced lockdown, "Sports complexes and stadia will be permitted to open, however, spectators won't be allowed," read one of the guidelines to be followed during the lockdown, which was due to end on Monday but has been extended till May 31. Reports say Sports Authority of India was waiting for the directives and guidelines in fourth lockdown. Now, since they have got it, the athletes in individual sports are all set to start their training maximum in next seven days. In some sports they can even start earlier than that . A well placed source told ABP News that the Standard Operating Procedure ( SOP ) has already been made by Sports Authority of India ( SAI ) and it will be implemented soon. The source also mentioned that at first athletes in individual sport will resume their training which will be followed by the team sport. The training of the athletes who participate in contact sports will start much later. The health and safety guidelines along with social distancing norms for all sports will be there in the SOP and it will be distributed to all associations and the athletes will be trained on this too so that they can keep themselves safe in the changed scenario. Finally after almost 2 month's break from practice the Olympic bound athletes will be seen in action very soon. India has recorded a total of 90,927 COVID-19 cases of which 53,946 are active. The death toll is 2,872, while 34,108 patients have been discharged after recovery. Among the many states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, Tamil Nadu appear to be the most affected places. Witnessing the increasing corona cases, Centre and state governments in mid-march had prohobited several economic activities to curb the spread of coronavirus. Sport continues to be listed among the functions, gatherings and large congregations which are not allowed as of now. The lockdown came into effect in mid-march and elite athletes, who are based at Sports Authority of India (SAI) complexes in Patiala and Bengaluru, have been demanding a resumption of training. At their request, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju last week had held a series of video conferences to take the athletes' view on the matter. On May 3, he had declared that the ministry was aiming for a phased resumption of national camps by the end of this month for at least the Olympic-bound athletes. (With inputs from Agencies)