CHENNAI: What is it called when a group of athletes who train together on a daily basis compete against each other? Just another day of training! That is how at least one athlete training at NIS, Patiala, put it. With the Indian Grand Prix 1 becoming a campers-only meet, a few of the athletes training at the centre feel there is no competition and the only part that makes them want to participate in the event is the ranking points on offer.
That raises another question. What exactly are the ranking points for? Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, there is no clarity over sporting activities all over the world, including the Tokyo Olympics. And that has led to many athletes in the country feeling demotivated. “I don’t even understand what we are even training for anymore. What is the point of conducting events and trying to qualify if there is no Olympics,” said an athlete.
With cases in India increasing by the day, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is also finding it hard to keep a tab on things. “The athletes are clueless. Things are so fluid right now that even we don’t know what to do. We are telling them to focus on the Olympics and continue training hard,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla told this daily. With the situation getting worse, Sumariwalla also said that the AFI will put serious thought into how the next few domestic competitions can be conducted safely.
However, even in these tough times, some of them are trying to stay positive. With IOC mulling to change the qualification standards for Tokyo, one athlete feels it might favour him and many others. “If at all the Games is happening, then I am hoping that they make some changes. It might help a lot of us. Based on that, we can be more focussed on staying healthy,” said the athlete.
Coaches complain
Despite the various measures taken by AFI to quarantine athletes at SAI centres, this newspaper has learnt that a lot of outsiders are going in and coming out of these camps. Sumariwalla also confirmed this on Wednesday. “I have received complaints from some of the coaches that people are entering the premises and exiting without any checks. What is the point of a quarantine then? I have raised this issue with the government and we are hoping for a response soon,” he said.