Tokyo: No more than 44 Indian athletes will participate in the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday given the threat of Covid-19.
The athletes who had competition lined the next day had been told to skip the event.
With six officials, the total presence of India during the past March will add up to 50.
“We will not like to create a situation where our athletes are in the danger of being infected.
So the decision has been taken to limit the number of athletes.
And officials who participate in the opening ceremony in the opening ceremony 50 years, “Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association Rajeev Mehta told PTI.
The decision was taken after a meeting between Chef De Mission and the coach here this morning.
India is represented by more than 125 athletes in the match with a total contingent size to 228, including officials, coaches, other supporting staff of an alternative athlete considering Covid-19.
“Six officials (from each country) were allowed at the ceremony but there was no hat on athletes.
However, we have suggested the athletes who have the event the next day to pass through the ceremony and focus on their game,” Deputy Chef De Mmission Prem.
Kumar Verma said on Wednesday.
Like 10m Water Pistol Shooters Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, APURVI Chandela and Elavenil Valarivan, who have events on the first competition day, will pass the ceremony along with Manu Bhaker, Yashaswini Singh Decree, Deepak Kumar and Divyansh Singh Panwar will shoot on the second day.
The Indian team has eight rifles, five pistols and two skeet shooters, in addition to six coaches and physiotherapists in Tokyo.
The boxers, archers and men and women’s hockey team are also scheduled to compete a day after the opening ceremony.
India has named the Manpreet Singh Hockey captain and women champion six times Boxer M C Mary Kom as a flag bearer for the opening ceremony.
While Mary Kom is not scheduled to compete the next day, Manpreet will lead the team to the first pool of the match against New Zealand on Saturday.
“Those who quarantine are also not permitted,” Verma said about athletes and officials, who recently landed in the city of Japan.
Among other countries, the UK will not have more than 30 athletes who participated in the ceremony because of the fear of Covid-19.
England has 376 athletes in Fray in the game.