NSFs can organise sporting events, SOP needs to be maintained: Rijiju

Rijiju's remarks came as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) laid out new guidelines allowing sports complexes and stadiums to reopen but it was said that spectators will not be permitted during the lockdown period, which has been extended till May 31.

New Delhi: Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday said that the National Sports Federations (NSFs) can organise a sporting event but Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) needs to be maintained and followed.

His remarks came as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) laid out new guidelines allowing sports complexes and stadiums to reopen but it was said that spectators will not be permitted during the lockdown period, which has been extended till May 31.

"All the sport disciplines are not the same, for example, weightlifting or any sports which do not have physical contact with each other it has its own way of starting as per its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). But other sports like boxing, wrestling, hockey, football, in these games you have physical contact involved so there are different procedures for different sporting events. That's why right now we can start events but they need to be held without spectators, for example, online Wushu Championship is going on, if any sports federation wants to organise a sporting event they can do it in a stadium but they have to first ensure that the SOP is maintained and being followed properly," Rijiju told a leading news agency.

"Secondly all the conduct has to carried out with certain discipline, you can't just open everything up. In SAI, we are starting with elite athletes those who are Olympics bound and those who are going to participate in international championships in the near future, so first of all the elite athletes and secondly those who are in our national centre of excellence and then there are many other hostels and athletes who have to be picked up under Khelo India schemes, we can't allow all of them to train together so will have to do it in a staggered manner," the minister added.

Kiren Rijiju

The minister further clarified so why gymming and swimming are not being allowed currently and he also laid down the importance of opening up sporting activities.

"We are doing it in a phased manner, we have given permission for the activities to kickstart but you need to maintain control and take the states in confidence as some regions also fall under the red zones so you have to be more careful about the activities being conducted in red zones. Sporting activities have to start because if you don't play, if you don't do activities it also has negative effects overall on your physical condition and mental condition," Rijiju said.

"Each sport has their own training programme, you need to careful when it goes to gymming and swimming as everyone will use the game gym and same goes for swimming as many swimmers will be using the same pool," he added.

When asked about swimming to resume minister said: "I am not an expert about the technical part how you can sanitise the pool, many people have advised that gymming and swimming should be allowed to do after some time, health and safety of everyone is our top priority and we cannot compromise that. New guidelines will come whenever there will be more relaxations, the country has benefitted under the lockdown, in Western countries many people have died, and as compared to them, the death rate in India is very less".

On Monday, the minister had already clarified that the training of athletes will start, however, the use of swimming pools and gymnasium will remain suspended.