CHENNAI: The Assam Badminton Association (ABA) could be among the first state sports associations to begin its training. A day after the Assam directorate of sports issued a circular on the resumption of sporting activities for elite players, to begin with, the ABA submitted a standard operating procedure (SOP) along with a list of elite shuttlers to the government.
The ABA, headed by Badminton Association of India (BAI) president and Assam health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, has proposed to begin training for top athletes of the state from June 1. The letter signed by the secretary of the association, Omar Rashid, also listed dos and don'ts for athletes and the support staff
during training.
Key guidelines include no sharing of equipment in order to maintain social distancing. The temperature of each athlete entering the venue would be monitored and Arogya Setu app has been made mandatory. The guidelines also say that parents and non-essential persons will not be allowed to enter the practice hall.
Each court will be used to play in the singles format. Players’ shoes will be also be sanitised.
Other associations have not started their training as yet. The BAI, too, is waiting for more normalcy before starting the camps. The Sports Authority of India has already released SOP for resuming sporting activities in the SAI centres and non-centres. However, sports will begin only under state guidelines.