EVERY REQUIREMENT OF ATHLETES MUST BE FULFILLED, BE IT VACCINATION OR TRAINING, SAYS PM MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed India’s preparations for the Tokyo Olympics as the showpiece event is just 50 days away.“A presentation was made by officials on various aspects of operational readiness for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. During the course of the review, the Prime Minister was apprised about the various steps taken towards ensuring uninterrupted training for athletes amidst the pandemic, participation in international competitions to win Olympic quota, vaccination of athletes, and customised support being provided to them,” stated an official release. The PM was also apprised about the vaccination status of athletes and support staff. The Prime Minister then directed that every qualified and probable athlete, support staff and officials travelling to the Tokyo Olympics must be vaccinated as soon as possible.PM Modi said that he would be connecting with the Olympics contingent through a video conference in July, to encourage them and wish them on behalf of all Indians.The Prime Minister said that sports is at the heart of India’s national character and the youth are creating a strong and vibrant culture of sports. He said that the wishes of 135 crore Indians will be with all the athletes who will be participating in the Olympics. The PM added that for every young sportsperson shining on the global stage, a thousand more will be inspired to take up sports.Officials said that special attention will also be given towards motivating athletes and boosting their morale while they participate in the Olympics. Therefore, regular video conferences will be organised with their parents and family members back in India, through the course of the competition.PM Modi was also briefed that a total of 100 athletes have qualified for Tokyo Olympics across 11 sports disciplines and about 25 more athletes are likely to qualify for Tokyo Olympics details of which will emerge by end of June.While a total of 19 Indian athletes had participated at the last Paralympics in 2016 at Rio de Janeiro, 26 para-athletes have qualified and 16 more athletes are likely to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.