Delhi Ready To Begin Sports Training For School Students Amidst Pandemic

Source: Hindustan Times

The students of Delhi will be able to resume their sports practices in stadiums and sports complexes run by the Directorate of Education (DoE), as the Delhi government is ready to come up with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the same.

The Directorate has 3 established stadiums- Chhatrasal, Thyagaraj and Bawana, and 32 sports complexes including East Vinod Nagar and Ludlow castle along with 30 others. The sports activities are restricted since March due to the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.

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“The Bawana stadium is currently under the District Magistrate concerned so we will not be able to resume sports activities there. Although, we are ready to start sports training at the other two stadiums and sports complexes. We have already issued the SoPs, we have also procured masks and equipment to sanitize the premises. Formally, the stadiums and sports complexes are open now, said Dharmendra Singh, Deputy Director of Education (sports).

According to the SOPs, the practices will begin in phases with only 5-10 people in the stadium or complex at a time, initially. Followed by larger groups and eventually teams and sports competitions. “The SOPs have been made to ensure that sportspersons can utilize the facilities without compromising the health of the users as well as the community at large,” the SoPs stated.

The stadiums and complexes shall function between 6:30 to 9:30 and 4:30 to 7:30 for all students above 10 years with academic or private coaches. “All those visiting the centres will be screened. There shall be a proper sanitising equipment at the main entrance. A written confirmation shall be submitted before entering the premises by every sportsperson declaring their Covid-19 symptom-free condition,” the SoPs stated.

The decision received a positive response from the teachers and students. Teachers said that it was a salient decision as a sportsperson is losing his valuable training time due to the lockdown. Ajay Veer Singh, physical education and sports teacher at a government school in Jhandewalan said, “It’s been over three months that our students have  not had any sports training. We are really excited to welcome them back on the field. “