CHENNAI: It’s learnt that the camp for the men’s and women’s hockey sides, scheduled in Bengaluru from July 19, will likely be postponed indefinitely. Multiple problems have meant that there is no concrete date yet. With coronavirus cases spiralling out of control in the state, Bengaluru is going to be in total lockdown till July 22.
Flying players back during this period could be tricky. It is also learned that SAI is yet to sanction the restart of training. Hockey India (HI), though, is keeping mum over the issue. As it has been derecognised by SAI, it feels that the ball is in SAI’s court.
When a majority of the players left the camp on June 18, they were given a month’s break. “Hockey India on Friday (June 19) announced that the men and women’s hockey core probables group based at SAI Centre, Bengaluru will be given a month-long break,” it had said on June 19. It was assumed that players would start reporting back from the second week of July before resuming training from July 19.
But players haven’t even left their homes yet. Since of quarantine regulations will be in force when they do get back, it’s very likely that the camp won’t begin on time and could likely be pushed back by at least two weeks.
Marijne back on August 1
Women’s coach Sjoerd Marijne is slated to fly back from Netherlands on August 1. He was to return this weekend, but that flight was cancelled. He has booked one for early next month. It will be interesting to see if Marijne will be sent to a 14-day institutional quarantine upon arrival or exempted.