The national camps for Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams will not resume as planned on July 19 at Bengaluru SAI Centre with the rising Covid-19 case count forcing the city into a complete seven-day lockdown.
The grave situation in the southern metropolis has left the Sports Authority of India (SAI) with no choice but to defer its plans.
Enjoying a break at their respective native places after being confined to their rooms at the SAI Centre for two months due to the nationwide lockdown, the players had been expected to return to base by July 19.
A SAI source in Bengaluru, however, confirmed to PTI that there is no way the national camps can resume on the earlier earmarked date under the current circumstances.
“We didn’t get any such instruction till now about resumption of hockey camps. On June 18, we were just being asked to allow the players to leave for their homes but no intimation has been given to us on resumption of camps,” the source said.
“Frankly speaking, it is impossible to resume camps now because Bengaluru is under complete lockdown till July 22. The cases are increasing everyday and there is a possibility that the lockdown would be extended till the end of this month.”
Although the SAI headquarters here is yet to take a formal decision on the matter, Hockey India’s de-recognition by the Sports Ministry, along with 53 other National Sports Federations (NSFs), as per the Delhi High Court’s order, has made the situation complex.
“We can’t make any comment on national camps or anything as we are de-recognised by the ministry now,” a HI official said.