Tokyo-bound Indian men, women’s hockey teams to resume camps at SAI Bengaluru after Karnataka gives green signal

The Olympics-bound Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams will return for their respective national camps on 4 August at SAI Centre in Bengaluru and head straight to a 14-day quarantine in keeping with the COVID-19 protocols. The decision was taken by the Sports Authority of India after the nodal body received the go-ahead from the Karnataka government that has been battling rising COVID-19 cases in recent times. “The camp will begin in keeping with all protocols and in strict adherence to the SOPs of SAI and that of the state government. “Athletes, coaches and support staff will also be tested when they arrive in Bengaluru to ensure that all campers are at a reduced risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus,” SAI said in a statement on Saturday. The players and support staff, who will arrive from various parts of the country and abroad, will undergo a two-week quarantine inside the campus before resuming training. They will be tested on arrival and will be tested again after the quarantine period ends. Having spent nearly four months in the camp due to the nationwide lockdown, the players headed to their home towns on 19 June for a four-week break after the easing of restrictions. “Considering the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru, the permission from the state government has been given subject to all arriving athletes, coaches and support staff adhering to institutional quarantine protocols issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Government of Karnataka,” the SAI stated. SAI Bengaluru administration has already held online workshops for athletes, coaches and support staff scheduled to join the camp on precautionary measures to be followed while inside the campus.