Olympic-bound javelin thrower Neeraj, wrestlers Ravi & Deepak among seven awaiting vaccination; MEA’s assistance sought | Tokyo Olympics News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, men’s freestyle wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia and boxers Manish Kaushik, Satish Kumar, Pooja Rani and Simranjeet Kaur are among seven Tokyo Olympic-bound athletes who are awaiting their vaccination against the Covid-19 infection before they embark to the Japanese capital from their respective foreign training base for the Games. As many as 17 Tokyo-bound support staff personnel, who are based overseas, too, are looking for their vaccination at the earliest.
The delay in administering the vaccine doses has prompted the ministry of youth affairs and sports (MYAS) to seek the Ministry of External Affairs’ urgent intervention to complete the Covid-19
vaccination, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) informed on Monday.
Neeraj is based in Uppsala, Sweden; boxers Manish, Satish, Pooja and Simranjeet are training in Assisi, Italy; while wrestlers Ravi and Deepak are preparing in Russia for the Olympics.
“In Sweden, Covishield (AstraZeneca) is available only for those above the age of 65. Italy’s vaccination policy makes it difficult for the Indian boxers to receive their second shots of Covishield there while Russia has only Sputnik vaccine. It is likely that the Indians athletes and the support staff will get their second doses in the Indian missions in those countries,” the SAI informed.
The four boxers and 11 coaching and support staff, who need the vaccine, were originally slated to return to India from its base in Italy on July 8. The Boxing Federation of India wrote to the government to let the boxers continue training in Assisi till it leaves for Tokyo. It thus became important for the MEA’s assistance to ensure that the 15 members are fully vaccinated.
“Though the Tokyo Olympic Committee for the Games has not made it mandatory for the athletes and officials to be vaccinated against Covid-19, India decided to vaccinate its athletes, coaches and support staff on a priority basis to ensure their safety” the SAI stated.
Besides, some other athletes are due to get their respective second doses soon. Shooters Rahi Sarnobat, Saurabh Chaudhary and Deepak Kumar will receive their vaccination in Zagreb, Croatia. Tennis player Ankita Raina will get her second dose in the High Commission of India in London while Judoka Shushila Devi will complete her vaccination here in Delhi.
The delay in administering the vaccine doses has prompted the ministry of youth affairs and sports (MYAS) to seek the Ministry of External Affairs’ urgent intervention to complete the Covid-19
vaccination, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) informed on Monday.
Neeraj is based in Uppsala, Sweden; boxers Manish, Satish, Pooja and Simranjeet are training in Assisi, Italy; while wrestlers Ravi and Deepak are preparing in Russia for the Olympics.
“In Sweden, Covishield (AstraZeneca) is available only for those above the age of 65. Italy’s vaccination policy makes it difficult for the Indian boxers to receive their second shots of Covishield there while Russia has only Sputnik vaccine. It is likely that the Indians athletes and the support staff will get their second doses in the Indian missions in those countries,” the SAI informed.
The four boxers and 11 coaching and support staff, who need the vaccine, were originally slated to return to India from its base in Italy on July 8. The Boxing Federation of India wrote to the government to let the boxers continue training in Assisi till it leaves for Tokyo. It thus became important for the MEA’s assistance to ensure that the 15 members are fully vaccinated.
“Though the Tokyo Olympic Committee for the Games has not made it mandatory for the athletes and officials to be vaccinated against Covid-19, India decided to vaccinate its athletes, coaches and support staff on a priority basis to ensure their safety” the SAI stated.
Besides, some other athletes are due to get their respective second doses soon. Shooters Rahi Sarnobat, Saurabh Chaudhary and Deepak Kumar will receive their vaccination in Zagreb, Croatia. Tennis player Ankita Raina will get her second dose in the High Commission of India in London while Judoka Shushila Devi will complete her vaccination here in Delhi.
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