Players will be allowed to go home and there will be no physical contact outside of what is required during normal play at training, according to the Standard Operating Procedure for the resumption of training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Bengaluru center.
Teams can train in groups of a maximum of six people in an area of 40x20m. Players are allowed normal physical contact during training but celebrations such as high fives, first bumps are banned. They have to carry their own training gear, hand sanitizer and towel. All training equipment will be sanitised after each session. Players are also not allowed to contact with those from other teams.
The probables for the Indian men’s and women’s senior hockey teams have been placed in the campus since before the start of the lockdown on March 25. Hockey India stated that players and staff who are feeling homesick shall be allowed to go home.
“Government of India, SAI and Hockey India will determine the duration of this leave-in consultation with the respective Chief Coaches. Each party has the option to change the duration based on the information at hand. At all times the safety of the athlete and staff member is paramount,” says HI in the SOP.
Players have been provided instruction of avoiding contact with anyone outside of their direct family while at home. They are also to leave home only for necessary requirements with enough protection. Once they return to the camp, they will be placed in “strict quarantine for 2 weeks.”
“If testing is available on day 10 of return, then the person will be tested. If a person tests negative/doesn’t have the virus they can leave quarantine. If person has the virus, then that person will stay in quarantine and follow medical guidelines provided by designated medical personnel. If testing is not available every individual must complete the full 2 weeks of quarantine and will follow rules of social distancing anywhere and everywhere for week 3,” says HI.
