Vinesh Phogat, Lovlina Borgohain, Sreeja Akula and others get foreign training camps clearance from the Ministry

The Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) approved the foreign training camps for Paris-bound athletes on June 6. The notable athletes include Vinesh Phogat, Lovlina Borgohain, Sreeja Akula, and Manika Batra.

Phogat has requested financial assistance for a competition and training camp in Madrid, followed by a training camp in Boulogne sur-Mer, France. The veteran wrestler will compete in Grand Prix Spain in July and will then train for a week. It will be followed by a rigorous 20-day preparation for the Paris Olympics in France.

MOC approved assistance for the boarding and lodging of wrestler, Antim Panghal's coach during United World Wrestling (UWW) 2nd Ranking Series and the training camp at Olympic Training Centre in Hungary.

Triple jumper Eldhose Paul got an assistance from the ministry to take part in the Meeting Nikaia in France. Meanwhile, Borgohain will participate in the Grand Prix Czech Republic International Tournament, while Akula and Batra will compete in various Table Tennis tournaments. Specifically, Batra will receive assistance to purchase DHS Table to train in India.

Para–athlete Bhagyashree Jadhav, who sought an assistance to procure wheelchair and shot-put equipment, also received a green signal.

MOC also gave clearance to the pistol shooter, Arjun Singh Cheema, who wanted an assistance for 11-day training in Austria.

The Cell provided permissions to Paralympic-bound javelin throwers Ajeet Singh and Sandeep Choudhary to train at Leichtathletik Gemeinschaft Offenburg Centre and LAZ Zweibrucken EV Centre, respectively, in Germany.

Notably, Ajeet will be training for 45 days under the guidance of German coach Werner Daniel, while Sandeep will prepare for 41 days under Uwe Hohn. The Paris Paralympics will take place from August 28-September 8.

Badminton players, Rakshitha Sree and Anmol Kharb’s also received approval for assistance to participate in the Kaohsiung Masters (BWF Super 100) event.

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5 athletes receive promotion from development to core group

The development also saw boxers, Nishant Dev, Jaismine Lamboria and Preeti Pawar as well as table tennis players Manav Thakkar and Archana Kamath receiving a promotion from Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) development to the core group.

TOPS is the Ministry’s flagship programme, which provides support to athletes for Training and Competition.