The National Rifle Association of India has deferred the national camp meant for training the Olympic core group athletes at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range in Delhi amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The news that the camp, which was due to start on August 1, was to be postponed was earlier confirmed by NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia to PTI. In a meeting on Tuesday, the national governing body for the sport officially deferred the camp indefinitely.
The camp was meant to be compulsory for the 32 members in the core group. However, there was a sense of apprehension among some shooters who would have to travel from different parts of the country.
“Under the prevailing conditions with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Governing Body decided to defer the camp, till the time conditions are safer all-around as well as suitable for outstation travel. Health and safety of Shooters/Coaches was paramount in the review of the decision,” a statement from NRAI said.
The release added that a new schedule will be announced at a later date.
In the last week of July, a shooting coach at the Dr Karni Singh range in Delhi had tested positive for Covid-19 but the development did not result in closure of the facility.
A handful of shooters, part of the core group, have been training at the facility since it was reopened for use on July 8 and they are likely to continue with their daily practice by adhering to the health and safety protocols. However, several shooters and coaches had questioned the urgency in resuming training and conducting the camp in Delhi.
The Tokyo Olympic Games has been postponed by a year to 2021 due to the pandemic and the Indian shooters will be expected to shine at the event, given their stellar run recently.