The COVID-19 vaccination for India’s Tokyo Olympic-bound athletes is likely to start from the end of March after the sports ministry formally requested the health ministry to enlist the qualifying sportspersons and their coaches in the priority category.
According to a Sports Ministry official, they had already prepared a blue-print and if given a go-ahead by the health ministry, they plan to start the vaccination for Olympic-bound athletes from next month.
“The Sports Ministry has formally requested the Union Health Ministry to place Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian athletes on priority list.
“Right now, we are waiting to hear from the Health Ministry. As and when they give us the green signal, we will start executing our plan. We intend to start vaccination of Olympic qualifying athletes from March end.”
The development comes close on the heels of the IOA writing to the Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, requesting him to consider vaccinating the Olympics-bound athletes on a priority basis.
