COVID-19 scare at SAI headquarters, premises sanitised

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters was sanitised on Wednesday after a coronavirus scare on Tuesday. The sanitisation drive was taken up after an employee, whose relative tested positive for the deadly virus, came to the office.

The SAI headquarters, located in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium complex in New Delhi, has been functioning with 33 percent staff as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The development comes on the heels of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium opening up 50 per cent of its facilities for athletes.

"Initially sporting activities are being started in those disciplines where no contact is required among players and minimal sharing of equipment is needed," said SAI in a statement on Wednesday.

"Accordingly, archery, table tennis, badminton and lawn tennis will be started in JLN Stadium and Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium depending on facilities available. In keeping with the guidelines of the government on social distancing and hygiene, it has been decided a maximum of only 50 per cent of sports facilities in various stadia will be made operational to ensure social distancing."

The MHA while announcing the extension of the ongoing lockdown to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, had said that stadiums and sports facilities can be opened up for athletes.

However, it had prohibited aquatic activities from taking place because of which the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex will remain closed.