The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) on February 15th & 16th approved financial assistance towards training and competitions (Grand Slams) for 10 Judokas, 2 badminton players, and 3 fencers among others.

While 10 Judokas, which includes 3 TOPS Development and 7 NCOE athletes would be training for 21 days in Uzbekistan and Georgia, they will also compete in 3 Grand Slam events in Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Turkey during this period.

The players' participation fees, airfare, lodging/boarding, medical insurance cost, local travel, and food costs among other expenditures would be borne by Sports Authority of India (SAI).

MOC also approved expenditure for two badminton players to compete in German Open, All England Championship, Swiss Open, Orleans Masters, Spain Masters, and Orleans Masters.

In Fencing, financial assistance has been approved for fencers Laishram Moramba, Shreya Gupta, and Oinam Jubraj Singh to compete at Cadet & Junior Asian Championship, Taskhent in March, while swimmer Srihari Nataraj is being provided Financial Assistance towards participation in Singapore National Championships and for the services of his personal coach Nihar Ameen & physiotherapist Karthikeyan Balavenkatesan for this event.

During the two-day meeting, MOC members along with representatives of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and various National Federations also discussed their roadmap for the upcoming Asian Games and the year leading to Paris Olympics.

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NB/SK/UD