CHENNAI: Good news for professional swimmers in the country. After almost six months since lockdown, the swimming pools for training will be permitted to operate from October 15. This was listed in the new guidelines released by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday. However, the opening of pools will depend on states now.
The MHA guideline stated, "Swimming pools being used for training of sportspersons will be permitted to open, for which the standard operating procedure (SOP) will be issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MoYA&S)."
The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) officials welcomed the news and thanked the ministry of home and sports for opening facilities for training. SFI president RN Jayaprakash said it would now allow at least the age group events to take place. "It's a positive move and we might conduct the junior nationals
at least in November end or December hopefully," he said.
"We now request the state governments to allow the state players participating in nationals to be allowed to train," said executive director Virender Nanavati.
The SFI has already sent the SOP to the Sports Authority of India (SAI). As far as the national camp is considered, the SAI centre in Bengaluru will be the first preference for elite swimmers. The president said that in a week or two, SFI will come up with a concrete plan about the camp.
"From October-December, north India will be very cold. For them to train in pools will be hard. Only the southern part or abroad is where you can train. That's what I have advised the coaches to have a camp for the elite team in Bengaluru. It is now more of a challenge than good news to keep the swimmers,
coaches and support staff and safe," added Jayaprakash.
The three elite swimmers - Virdhawal Khade (50m freestyle), Srihari Nataraj (100m backstroke) and Kushagra Rawat (400m freestyle) - who are training in Dubai since August will be asked to continue to train there at least till the end of October.
The federation is also planning to have nationals for seniors, juniors and sub-juniors after the second or third week of November if the pandemic situation gets better. The three events might even be conducted back to back.
"Probably, we will give the swimmers a month's time and see whether we can host the nationals after Diwali in November. They need at least a month to three months to get back in shape," explained the president.