'Keep public interactions minimum': IOA to CWG athletes

NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Tuesday urged the national athletes, participating in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, to not spend much time in public places in Birmingham because of the threat of Covid-19.

"The Indian Olympic Association has requested the players of the Indian contingent at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to not spend much time in public places because of the threat of Covid-19, which can jeopardize the health and participation of the players," IOA said in a statement.

"The players have been instructed to keep public interaction to a minimum and take safety precautions wherever needed," it added.

The organisers of the CWG have segregated athletes based on sports and their venues. Accordingly, the Indian contingent is staying in five different CWG Villages.

According to the rules, every athlete will also need to undergo an RT-PCR test for Covid-19, 72 hours prior to their arrival in the United Kingdom.

The IOA announced a 322-strong contingent including 215 athletes and 107 officials and support staff for the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

The Games are scheduled to be held from July 28 to August 8, and the India contingent will look to improve upon its Gold Coast 2018 CWG performance.