All national camps, except those preparing for Olympics, postponed due to COVID-19: Rijiju
New Delhi: All national camps, except for those where athletes are preparing for Tokyo Olympics, were on Tuesday postponed until further order in view of the COVID-19 pandemic with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) making arrangements for the return of the trainees to their homes.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said the academic training at the National Centre of Excellence and Sports Auhtority of India Centres will also be suspended. The Olympics are scheduled for July-August this year.
"Due to Covid-19, SAI has decided that: All National camps shall be postponed except for those where athletes are being trained as part of Olympics #Tokyo2020 preparation," Rijiju tweeted.
"Academic training in National Centre of Excellence & STCs shall be suspended till further order," he added.
Rijiju said the move is temporary and precautionary and training will resume if the situation caused by the pandemic improves.
"This is just a temporary and precautionary step for the safety of our sportspersons. I appeal all our young athletes not to be disheartened. We will resume the academic trainings soon after assessing the situation."
Later SAI stated that no tournament, sports function, seminar and workshop will be held till clearance is obtained and restrictions are withdrawn by the central or state authorities.
Hostel facilities of the trainees, however, might be kept open till March 20 to avoid inconvenience to athletes.
"Athletes who have an exam to take in the next few days will be allowed to stay at the center and take the exam. However, it is being ensured that all health procedures are followed and the highest level of hygiene is maintained so that athletes staying back do not catch an infection," the SAI said.
"All other trainees are being sent back home after intimation to parents and while following travel precautions. Those who have their home town within 400 kilometers of the centre will be provided AC-3 tier train ticket. Those whose hometowns are beyond 400 kilometers will be provided with an air ticket."
In India, the shooting World Cup and Indian Open Golf has been postponed so far, while badminton's India Open was also deferred after the Badminton World Federation (BWF) suspended all World Tour and sanctioned events.
A few days back, the government had issued two advisories regarding training and competition of athletes.
The ministry had told those, who were training and taking part in the events abroad especially for Tokyo Olympics qualifiers, to continue their competitions.
Rijiju had also clarified that there was no ban on national events with the advice that they be held without spectators.
The Athletics Federation of India is going ahead with the Indian Grand Prix series, from which athletes can qualify for the Olympics, starting March 20 without spectators.
Earlier, the SAI Centre in Bengaluru was shut down but those training inside were allowed to stay there and continue training.
National sports bodies such as the BCCI, the Boxing Federation of India and the All India Football Federation have decided to work from home.
More than 100 people have so far tested positive in India apart from three deaths. The disease has led to either cancellation or postponement of all sports events the world over in an Olympic year.
More than 7,000 people have been killed globally by the deadly virus, which was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The number of infected has swelled to more than 175,000.
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Internal discontent surfaces in BJD over shift on Waqf Bill stand
Bhubaneswar, Apr 6 (PTI): All doesn't seem well within the opposition BJD headed by former chief minister Naveen Patnaik as senior leaders of the regional outfit voiced their objections following the party’s alleged change of stand over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 which was passed in Parliament recently.
While former minister Bhupinder Singh on Sunday described the prevailing situation in the BJD akin to ‘Kalabaishakhi’ (Nor’wester), party’s deputy leader in the Assembly and former MP Prasanna Acharya suspected the hand of some "external force" behind the party's alleged decision not to oppose the Waqf Bill.
The rift seems to be gradually widening with the BJD rank and file denouncing the change of party’s stand which has put its secular credentials at stake.
However, Acharya defended the party’s stand, saying there might have been a change in the decision regarding the Bill, but the BJD continues to uphold its secular credentials.
He further explained, "Ours is a secular party, maintaining equal distance from both the NDA and the UPA. As a regional party, BJD supports or opposes any issue based on the interests of Odisha."
Bhupinder Singh, also a former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, acknowledged the discontent within the party over the Waqf Bill issue.
"There is discontent within the party, and we must accept it. However, our leader, Naveen Patnaik, is capable of handling the situation. This is just a temporary phase,”" Singh said, adding that Patnaik has always promoted communal harmony without religious discrimination.
The controversy began after Sasmit Patra, BJD’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, posted a message stating that party members were free to vote on the Waqf Bill based on their conscience.
This statement contradicted the party’s earlier decision, where the parliamentary party had resolved to oppose the Bill.
Acharya admitted that there has been widespread discussion within the party about who changed BJD’s stance and whether an "external force" is influencing the decision.
"Who is the force working for and against the party? All leaders are united in their view that such decisions should be made within the party forum, like the Parliamentary Party. The party will face problems if decisions are made by external forces," he said.
Acharya expressed confidence that Patra was not the person who altered the party’s stance on the Waqf Bill.
"Let Patra return from his foreign tour. He has no authority to make such decisions. He should be following directions from someone. Everything will be clear once he speaks out about who directed him to change the party’s decision," Acharya added.
He said discussions are ongoing within the party to identify those who might be operating behind the scenes, influencing critical decisions without the leadership’s knowledge.
Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader and former Leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra, alleged that someone else is making decisions for the BJD while Patnaik is effectively in "house arrest."
Mishra claimed, "He is being controlled from behind the scenes by his chief advisor. This is not the first time he has been put in such a position."
He also alleged a possible "deal" between the BJP and the BJD, suggesting it could explain the party’s shift in stance on the Waqf Bill.
Adding to the controversy, BJP MP Balabhadra Majhi predicted the eventual collapse of the BJD, saying, "The party has no ideology or guiding principles and is being driven by inexperienced leadership. It will soon vanish from the state’s political landscape."
