New Delhi: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has extended its support to tennis ace Rohan Bopanna and his men’s doubles partner Sriram Balaji, granting them assistance to compete in two ATP Tour events in preparation for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a PIB press release stated.
The Indian government’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved Bopanna’s request for help in completing two ATP Tour events – ATP 500 in Hamburg and Umag. This will be followed by a trip to Paris to join the team. He and his men’s doubles partner Sriram Balaji will be accompanied by their coach and physiotherapist.
The other athletes who have received assistance under the TOPS scheme are shooters Rhythm Sangwan, Sarabjot Singh, Vijayveer, and Anish Bhanwala. They will be travelling to Volmerange for the Olympic Training Camp and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games at Chateauroux. The Target Olympic Podium Scheme will cover their flight costs, board and lodging, visa expenses, and local transportation.
The country’s women’s 4×400-metre relay team also received support for training equipment and table tennis player Harmeet Desai for training support in Biberach, Germany.
MOC has also decided to support 400-metre sprinter Kiran Pahal, high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare, and shot putter Abha Khatua into the TOPS Core group for the Paris Olympics Cycle. The athletes have been selected from the pool of 100 amateur athletes who have been training at the TOPS Core group in 2023.