The Indian hockey teams, both men and women, are continuing to train hard despite the coronavirus pandemic and have set their eyes on the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9. The players and support staff are taking all the necessary precautions at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru. According to Hockey India, the SAI campus is well-equipped for regular practice sessions and no unauthorised 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," said Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh.
Rani Rampal, the Indian women's team captain, said that her team is fortunate to continue to train for the Olympics in a safe environment.
"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," said Rani.
The men's team is scheduled to play New Zealand while the women's team is slated to face the Netherlands in their first match at the Tokyo Olympics on July 25.