New Delhi: The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has sanctioned a financial assistance of approximately Rs. 30 Lakhs for athletes across eight different sports.
All expenses for training and competition taking place outside India include airfare, visa and medical insurance.
In para-athletics, Rs. 1.63 Lakhs has been sanctioned for Avani Lekhara, 10m Air Rifle Para-Shooter for use of a coach, physiotherapist and personal escort during her three-month training for the Asian Para-Games from July 1 to October 5.
Rs. 5.95 Lakhs has been sanctioned for Rampal Chahar, Para High Jumper for his overseas training in Ukraine from July 16 to October 5. This will include the coaching fees and expenses towards food and accommodation.
Also, the “In-principle” approval was granted to four Indian Para-athletes Rinku Hooda, Amit Kumar Saroha, Dharambir and Ankur Dhama to continue their coaching camps at various Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres.
Hooda, Saroha, Dhama (till August 1) and Dharambir (till July 20) will have their training covered under Target Olympic Podium Scheme, till the commencement of their respective Asian Para Games camps which are being covered under Annual Calendar for Competition and Training (ACTC).
In Wushu, Rs. 7.73 Lakhs has been sanctioned for four Wushu athletes Narender Grewal, Santosh Kumar, Surya Bhanu Pratap and Sanathoi Devi for their month-long training in Shandong, China ahead of the Asian Games along with their personal coaches Rajvir Singh and Rajesh Tailor.
In Shooting, Rs. 1.24 Lakhs has been sanctioned for Tejaswini Sawant for Sports Science evaluation across four months; January, February, July and August.
The training expenses of shooter Akhil Sheoran, for his pre-Asian Games training at Mumbai and Pune, were also sanctioned at the meeting.
In Gymnastics, Rs. 5.02 Lakhs has been sanctioned for gymnast Rakesh Patra for his 12-day training camp in Mersin, Turkey ahead of the Asian Games. Apart from coaching fees, the expenses will also include the use of a training venue, medical expenses and accommodation.
In Wrestling, Rs. 4.95 Lakhs was sanctioned to Sushil Kumar for a two-week training programme in Georgia ahead of the Asian Games along with one support staff and two sparring partners.
In Swimming, “In-principle” approval as per actuals was given to Srihari Nataraj for financial assistance for his coach Jayarajan AC to travel with him to Jakarta for the Asian Games.
In Boxing, Rs. 42,000 has been sanctioned to Vikas Krishan for the purchase of equipment, this includes shoes, lactometer and pulse oximeter.
The decision was taken at the MOC meeting where funding proposals related to training, competition, support staff and equipment expenses were cleared. (ANI)