The coronavirus threat has not hindered the Indian Hockey team's preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as skipper Manpreet Singh said that they are training 'very hard' for the quadrennial event.
Both men's and women's teams are preparing for the games at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru and no unauthorized persons are allowed to enter the premises.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has not affected our practice sessions. We are continuously washing our hands and our temperatures are being checked regularly. The authorities at our SAI campus are ensuring that we are training in a safe environment. With the backing of SAI and our Coaches, we have been training very hard for the Olympics," Hockey India's official website quoted Singh as saying.
Women's team captain Rani Rampal said they are taking all the necessary precautions.
"We are very fortunate to have a facility like the SAI campus here. Everyone is working very hard so that the hockey teams can continue to practice for the Olympics. Our health is being monitored everyday and we are taking all the necessary precautions. The authorities at SAI have helped us to continue to focus on our goal of performing well at the Tokyo Olympics," Rampal said.
The Indian Men's Hockey team is scheduled to play New Zealand and the Indian Women's Hockey team is slated to face the Netherlands in their first match at the Tokyo Olympics on July 25.