Yuki Bhambri, Sanjita Chanu dropped from TOP Scheme
Yuki Bhambri was left out of TOP Scheme as he will not take part in the Jakarta Asian Games in August-September as the dates clash with the US Open, where he is expected to qualify for the main draw.
Tennis player Yuki Bhambri and weightlifter Sanjita Chanu were on Wednesday dropped from the sports ministry’s flagship programme, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), for different reasons.
Bhambri was left out as he will not take part in the Jakarta Asian Games in August-September as the dates clash with the US Open, where he is expected to qualify for the main draw. Men’s doubles specialist Divij Sharan, 32, has been included in the scheme till the Asiad. Sanjita was dropped following her suspension by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) on alleged doping charges.
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The decisions were taken at the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting here to clear funding proposals regarding training, competition and equipment needs.
In other decisions, ₹26.03 lakh was sanctioned to Rohan Bopanna for the use of coach and physio for 12 weeks, starting May 7. ₹65.42 lakh was sanctioned for trap shooters Shreyasi Singh, Seema Tomar, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Ankur Mittal and Shardul Vihan for training and participating in a competition in Italy ahead of the Asiad and ₹1.43 lakh was approved for the purchase of ammunition for Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anish Bhanwala.
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The committee decided to hire physiotherapist Shrikant Iyengar for weightlifters Mirabai Chanu, Rakhi Halder, Jeremy and Pardeep Singh for five-and-half months, starting June 15 at an expense of ₹1.76 lakh.
The committee also gave ₹4.91 lakh to squash player Joshna Chinappa for a month’s training in Bristol. ₹9.53 lakh was given to archers Abhishek Verma, V Jyothi Surekha, Atanu Das, Deepika Kumari and Bombayla Devi along with coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja for participation in the World Cup in USA from June 16-25.
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₹3.23 lakh was approved for fencer Bhavani Devi for training and competition expenses from June 17 till August 15. ₹3.16 lakh was sanctioned to para-javelin thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar for an 18-day training programme in Finland along with personal coach Mahavir Prasad Saini. It was also decided to fully fund the IPC Grand Prix in Tunisia for para athletes Rohit Kumar, Vinay Kumar Lal, Aamit Kumar, Amit Kumar Saroha (with escort) and Rampal Chahar.