COVID-19 impact: IOA requests one-time financial grant from ministry

The Indian Olympic Association on Sunday (May 17) requested the Sports Ministry to sanction one-time financial assistance for itself, the National Sports Federations and the State Olympic Associations to tide over the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.

IOA President Narinder Batra wrote a letter to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, asking for financial assistance to resume sporting activities once the government gives the go ahead.

Batra requested the ministry to grant ₹10 crore for the IOA, ₹5 crore each for Olympic sports NSFs, ₹2.50 crore for the non-Olympic sports NSFs and ₹1 crore each for the SOAs.

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“I appeal/request to you Sir, The Hon’ble Union Sports Minister Mr Kiren Rijiju to take up with Government of India to support/give one time grant to the NOC of India, National Sports Federations and State Olympic Associations in this pandemic period to enable them to tide over the cash crunch being faced by them,” Batra wrote.

“It (the pandemic) has affected the business, employment as well as the Sports Activities in their respective countries,” he said.

“All sports competitions training and other related activities have come to a standstill and now in order to restart all these activities, it will require lot of financial support to IOA/NSFs/SOAs,” he added.