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PMC officially allows sports tournaments outside containment zones from Monday, Jan 18
PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has officially allowed sports tournaments to be conducted outside containment zones from Monday, January 18
PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has officially allowed sports tournaments to be conducted outside containment zones from Monday, January 18.
Since October 2020, PMC had allowed only practice of indoor and outdoor sports, with players and organisations eagerly waiting to conduct tournaments.
An order issued under the “Mission Begin Again” dikata by municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar under the provision of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, states that from Monday, January 18, sports tournaments (indoor/outdoor) can be conducted outside containment zones, following all standard operating procedures (SOPs).
The order also states that coaching and training of state, national and international players is also allowed outside containment zones.
“It is good news, but the organiser needs to plan the tournament very carefully since players from all places will come to one venue. Currently, all the practices are going on smoothly at all the centres, because all are following the standard operating procedures,” said Nikhil Kanetkar, who runs the Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy (NKBA) at the Shiv Chhatrapati sports complex in Balewadi.
Sunder Iyer, secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), said “It is a very good decision from the PMC as tournaments were getting conducted in the other states, so it was affecting players mentally. Due to Covid, many players were avoiding travelling, but now with players allowed, playing a tournament at home will boost them mentally.”
MSLTA, which is known to conduct many tournaments at the junior level across the state, will released its annual tournament calendar soon.
“We had kept all thing ready and just awaiting for the order from PMC, Pune being sports capital of the state this order will be highly appreciated by the players and organisers who conduct tournaments,” added Iyer.
Pune District Junior Athletics selection meet
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation had allowed the Pune District Junior Athletics selection meet at the Santh Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Krida Sankul, Indryaininagar, Bhosari, which concluded on Sunday.
The meet was held from January 14-17.
“We had got special no-objection certificates from the district sports officer, Vijay Santan, to conduct this selection meet tournaments as it was important for players. All the standard operating procedures were followed and we did not allow more than 100 athletes on the ground, which includes officals,” said Abhay Chhajed, president, Pune District Amateur Athletic Association.
From January 19, selection trials of Maharashtra state team for the National Junior Federation cup will be conducted at the Santh Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Krida Sankul, Indryaininagar, Bhosari, which will continue till January 22.
“We had given permission to conduct trials as Maharashtra government has allowed tournaments at a few places, so there was no problem,” said Shravan Hardikar, PCMC commissioner.
