IOA ask NSF to make arrangements for Olympics in 2021

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has asked all the National Sports Federations (NSF) to make proper arrangements for the Olympics, which has been postponed to 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This includes the extension of coaches contracts and support staff till the Olympic Games.

In a letter to all the NSF's, IOA presdient Narinder Dhruv Batra, wrote, "Extension of Contracts for HPD, coaches, support staff etc till end of 2021 as many such contracts are ending in 2020, the process needs to start ASAP."

"Draft training calendar for athlete's preparation for 2021 Olympics," it added.

It also urged the sports federations to schedule the postponed qualification events at revised dates after the situation gets normal.

"The qualification events which were postponed will happen again at revised dates once this virus issue is resolved. Draft tentative planning for that. Please share details of all the qualification events yet to happen in your sport," read a letter.

"Please update on the present location of the athletes and their health. We fully understand that under the present circumstances, it will be very difficult to give any confirmations but this is just to get everyone on same page," it said.

On Tuesday, for the first time in the history of the mega global event, the Olympics were postponed by a year. The decision was confirmed by the IOC after the organising body for the event and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to reschedule the Tokyo Olympics in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The IOC has, however, said that the original name of Tokyo 2020 will remain intact irrespective of the fact that it will take place next year.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6.