New Delhi: A shooting coach at the Dr Karni Singh Range here has tested positive for COVID-19. However, the development will not force a closure of the facility, where the Olympic core group will start training, August 1. The shooting coach has already been put under isolation.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI), in a press release, said the woman coach intimated the result of her test to on Thursday. However, she did not come in contact with any of the shooters. Hence the facility will remain open for training. The Karni Singh range was reopened for use July 8.
“The coach had visited the centre’s administrative department July 24, 2020. She did not visit the field of play or interacted with any athlete training at the centre,” SAI stated in a release. “All actions as per protocol have been taken. The centre has been sanitised and training of shooters will be not be affected,” SAI added.
The Olympic core group of 34 Indian shooters is also scheduled to return to training from August 1 at the range. The National Rifles Association of India (NRAI) has made attendance compulsory. So far 15 shooters have qualified for the Olympic Games, postponed to next year due to the raging pandemic.
The NRAI has appointed High-Performance Manager and former India shooter Ronak Pandit as the Nodal Officer in charge of overall co-ordination for hygiene and medical protocols of the camp.