BHUBANESWAR: Odisha has been a hub of national and international sports events for several years. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted that. Some big events scheduled this year including the FIH Hockey Pro League and FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup have been postponed. Federations are monitoring the situation. There is good news for them. The Odisha government has reiterated it will extend all support like in the past.
Tusharkanti Behera, Minister for Sports and Youth Services, while talking on the 'Future for Sports in a Post COVID World' in a webinar hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry, said they are planning the way ahead.
“These are unchartered waters for us all and a learning curve. The best practices from across sectors are being considered to chart a course ahead. Moving forward, this phase might lead to a much required change in the sporting landscape. As we hope to resume sports in full swing, we have issued a detailed SOP as per the guidelines of the central government," said Behera.
On resumption of sports, Behera laid emphasis on prioritising the health of athletes and support staff and adhering to the precautionary measures. Going forward, all protocols will have to followed. He said the administration will develop comprehensive safety guidelines for all involved in such events. This will include sanitisation bylaws, upgrading building guidelines and incorporating social distancing norms. "In future, certain elements of sports training that can continue online and can be offered to trainees through different models will get integrated into the training regime," the minister said.
"A few months back, Kalinga Stadium had its galleries packed with fans cheering for their favourite team at the FIH Hockey Pro League. But going forward, events will be held in closed stadia. Technology and content on OTT platforms will play a crucial role in not just engaging and entertaining the fans but also remotely or digitally cheering for teams."
Behera said sports will continue to remain a priority sector for the state government. "We will continue to develop and strengthen infrastructure to make sports inclusive and accessible to all. Several key projects, including the development and renovation of pitches for the U-17 Women’s World Cup have resumed. The 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup is ahead and work has commenced. Permanent facilities for some of the operational high performance centres are also on the cards."