CHENNAI : Fouaad Mirza is looking into the possibility of getting a letter from the Indian government that could enable him to get a vaccine in Germany, where he is based. The equestrian ace will travel to a meet in Poland later this month to try and meet a minimum eligibility criteria that all riders need in order to compete in Tokyo. “Not yet,” he says when asked if he has got the first dose.
“We are trying to figure out how I can get around to taking it. Looking into the possibility of getting a letter from the government that we can show here to help us get on the vaccine lists.” His immediate focus, though, is to meet the minimum eligibility requirement (MER) at an event in Baborowko, Poland.
And he is feeling utterly confident that he will get the job done. The last time he was in Poland, he missed the chance to seal his berth. “Yes. Absolutely. Flexing biceps emoji. Smiley face emoji,” was his response when asked if he was confident ahead of one of the few remaining MERs in the calendar the Indian has to successfully finish to compete in Tokyo.
He will leave from his base in Germany on either May 24 or 25. “I will leave from Germany around the 24th or 25th. The horses are in great shape,” he informs. Although there are a few other back-up options (the last date to meet MER is June 24), Mirza assures, “I will be getting my MER in this event.” Even though the man from Bengaluru won India a quota by topping the South-East Asia and Oceania standings, he has to complete an MER in a CCI four-star long format. This is what he hopes to do in Poland later this month.