Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Olympics Webinar explores Opportunities and Challenges for Indian Players

Posted On: 23 JUL 2021 2:06PM by PIB Mumbai

Mumbai, July 23, 2021

Press Information Bureau Mumbai and Regional Outreach Bureau for Maharashtra and Goa today held a webinar on “Olympic Games in the time of COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities for Indian Players”.

Addressing the webinar from Tokyo, sports journalist Shri Sandip Chavan said that Indian players are naturally under stress due to the prevailing COVID situation. Shri Chavan also informed about the frequent COVID testing that players and reporters have to undergo in the current olympics and how it makes the task of practice difficult for players.

Indian players are naturally under stress due to prevailing #COVID19 situation. However, US firm Gracenote which predicted 17 medals for India in April now predicts that we 🇮🇳 may end up winning 19 medals - Sandeep Chavan, Sports Journalist

📹https://t.co/zlhlw9imcZ pic.twitter.com/fKo7UGiK8p
— PIB in Maharashtra 🇮🇳 (@PIBMumbai) July 23, 2021

Shri Chavan added: “Thomas Bach, President of International Olympic Committee has said that Olympics now has the motto of faster, stronger, higher and together, because Olympics is about team spirit and this Olympics shows our unified fight against COVID-19”.

The webinar began with the video of Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Shri Anurag Thakur where he has appealed everyone to tag 5 friends and cheer the Indian team through #HumaraVictoryPunch.

Shri Mahesh Vichare, Assistant Editor, News Danka expressed high hopes from our shooting contingent. “In our 15-player strong shooting team, Rahi Sarnobat and Tejaswini Sawant are experienced players. Especially, Tejaswini is playing since 2010. Avinash Sable who comes from Beed can also bring us medal in steeplechase.”

Shri Vichare observed that players from contact sports like boxing, wrestling suffered the most during COVID-19. We may see diminished performance in such sports events from players across nations, he added.

Freelance journalist Shri Shailesh Patil spoke about the significance of this Olympics for India. “It is very important that we are sending the biggest contingent so far. It also includes many players from Maharashtra and we can expect medals from Rahi Sarnobat and Tejaswini Sawant, among others.”

Shri Patil further added that Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) by the Union Sports Ministry helped players a lot during the preparation stage. The Union Government managed to even get our players vaccinated in foreign countries, wherever it was possible.