The Sports Authority of India has updated its Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all National Centres of Excellence (NCOE) and ongoing national coaching camps in the wake of a drastic rise in the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. However, State governments' guidelines, where existing, will supersede these.
As per the latest guidelines from SAI, all athletes on arrival at the training centres will undergo mandatory Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).
Following a negative result, they will train and dine separately until the sixth day of joining after a repeat of the RAT on the 5th day.
Those returning a positive result for RAT will further take a RTPCR test and be treated in isolation.
Proper isolation facilities have been earmarked for corona-positive or symptomatic athletes and it will be sanitised twice a day.
There will also be a micro bio-bubble where the athletes will be divided into small groups for training and dining. The athletes have also been strictly asked to avoid interacting with other groups.
Random testing
There will also be random testing of athletes, coaches, support staff and non-residential staff in the NCOE once every 15 days. It has also been recommended that athletes would participate only in SAI and NSF recommended competitions.
For invitational and non-Olympic qualifying events, recommendations would be made by the respective NCOE regional directors.
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