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MOC Approves Foreign Training for Olympic Medallists Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker

The Mission Olympic Cell approved foreign training for Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker during its 173rd meeting in New Delhi. Neeraj Chopra, recovering from a back injury, will train in Switzerland from May 25 to July 10 for the 2026 CWG and Asian Games. Manu Bhaker will undergo training in Italy from May 13 to 22, accompanied by her coach and physiotherapist. Additionally, long-distance runner Gulveer Singh received approval for training and competition exposure in the United States.

Key Points: Foreign Training Approved for Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker

  • Neeraj Chopra approved for 47-day training camp in Switzerland
  • Manu Bhaker to train in Italy from May 13-22
  • Both athletes preparing for 2026 CWG and Asian Games
  • Long-distance runner Gulveer Singh also gets approval for US training
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MOC approves foreign training for Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker as preparation for CWG, Asian Games

MOC approves foreign training for Olympic medallists Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker ahead of CWG and Asian Games. Neeraj to train in Switzerland, Manu in Italy.

"The proposal covers travel and accommodation costs of the three-member team, including airfare, hotel expenses, food, visa, extra baggage allowance for javelin and treatment bed, and medical insurance. - Mission Olympic Cell"

New Delhi, May 13

With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games around the corner, the Mission Olympic Cell approved two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra's request for a 47-day off-season training camp in Switzerland during its 173rd meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Core athlete, who is rehabilitating from a back injury in Turkiye, will train at the Olympic Training Centre in Bienne from May 25 to July 10 as preparation for the two mega multi-discipline events.

The Commonwealth Games (CWG) will be staged in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, while the Asian Games will be organised in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

Neeraj will be looking to replicate his stupendous record in both competitions, as he has won gold in the 2018 Commonwealth Games and consecutive gold medals in the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games. The 28-year-old from Haryana will be accompanied by his long-time physiotherapist, Ishaan Marwaha, and coach Jai Choudhary.

The proposal covers travel and accommodation costs of the three-member team, including airfare, hotel expenses, food, visa, extra baggage allowance for javelin and treatment bed, medical insurance, and out-of-pocket allowance of USD 25 per day for 47 days, among others.

Chaired by Hari Ranjan Rao, secretary (Sports) - Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the MOC approved foreign training for star pistol shooter Manu Bhaker in Lucca, Italy, from May 13 to 22. The 24-year-old will be accompanied by her coach, Jaspal Rana, and physiotherapist Snehil Khurana. The proposal covers travel and accommodation costs of the three-member team, besides range charges, among others.

Manu, who is a double Olympic medallist at Paris 2024, will be competing in women's 10m air pistol and 25m pistol events at the 2026 Asian Games and is a strong medal contender.

The MOC also gave a go-ahead to long-distance runner Gulveer Singh's proposal for foreign training and competition exposure, along with his coach, in the United States from May 15 to June 17 (34 days). Gulveer, an Asian Games bronze medallist at the 2022 Hangzhou and gold medal winner in the 5000m and 10,000m races at Asian Championships, will compete in top races in Los Angeles and Nashville, respectively.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good to see Manu Bhaker getting support too. She's been amazing in Paris. But I wonder if this is the best use of funds when we have so many grassroot athletes struggling for basic equipment. Still, happy for our medal winners. Just hope the system gets better for everyone.
R
Rohit P
Finally some sensible planning! Neeraj in Switzerland, Manu in Italy, Gulveer in USA - proper international exposure is what makes champions. Remember how Neeraj trained abroad before Tokyo? Results speak for themselves. Hope this continues for all our top athletes 🇮🇳
S
Siddharth J
Wait, USD 25 per day for out-of-pocket allowance? For a two-time Olympic medalist? That seems quite low for Switzerland, one of the most expensive countries in the world. Hope they're getting proper accommodation and meals covered. Our athletes deserve better financial support.
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Amanda J
Great to see India investing in athletics development. Neeraj is a world-class athlete and this training will help him defend his CWG and Asian Games titles. Manu Bhaker is also a rising star. The only concern is whether these expensive foreign camps actually translate into better results. Let's wait and see.
K
Kavya N
Happy for Neeraj and Manu! But what about Gulveer Singh? He's an Asian Games bronze medalist and gold medalist at Asian Championships - he deserves more attention. Also, 34 days in USA for a long-distance runner sounds too short. Hope he gets enough competition exposure there.

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