Badminton training marks sports’ resumption

KATHMANDU, JUNE 23

At a time when the government has put sports and all the venues under suspension in the first phase of easing the coronavirus lockdown, Nepal Badminton Association today resumed the national team training with permission from the National Sports Council.

Most of the sporting activities around the globe are resuming gradually following the guidelines suggested by the World Health Organisation along with the safety protocols from their respective government authorities, but the sports governing body in Nepal not only ignored the government instructions to put sports arenas shut but also remained indifferent towards the protocols for the safety of the athletes and coaches.

“We have instructed the national associations and chief coaches of the respective sports disciplines to follow the safety protocols of the government and WHO,” NSC Member Secretary Ramesh Kumar Silwal told The Himalayan Times. “We have not given permission to all the sports and disciplines. We have strictly instructed the national associations to allow eight to ten players in a single shift and train them with minimum contact,” he added.

Silwal said the NSC was in the middle between the government and the athletes. “We cannot ignore the instructions of the government and at the same time we also need to take care of the future of the athletes,” said Silwal. “That’s why we have permitted the national associations to conduct training only for national level players,” he added. “As per the government’s instructions, we will not give permission to anyone for tournaments and sporting gatherings,” he added.

NBA President Ramji Bahadur Shrestha said the training was resumed after taking permission from the NSC. Only three players — Prince Dahal, Binit Thapa and Shova Gauchan — took part in the first day’s training conducted by South Korean coach Choi Seoung Kook at the NSC covered hall. “The coach is well aware about the safety measures to be taken at training and we will conduct PCR tests of the players and officials if needed,” said Shrestha.

According to Shrestha, a total of 24 players are supposed to take part in the training.

“Some of the players have not returned to Kathmandu from outside the valley and the Nepali Army did not release the athletes for training,” said Shrestha. The NA had instructed all the athletes affiliated with the Tribhuvan Army Club to stay in quarantine and not to take part in any event or training before the government announced nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Member Secretary Silwal said the NSC had requested the departmental sides — Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club and Nepal APF Club — to release their players for training. “I have requested the departmental sides to allow the athletes for training as players need at least seven days to regain their fitness and form after a gap,” said Silwal.

“We have to host international football matches in October and November and we need to prepare for that. Same is the case in cricket. I have instructed the coaches to allow cricketers for net practice and physical fitness in their respective regions,” he added.

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