The Indian cricket board will donate Rs 10 crore to the Indian Olympic Association(IOA) to support Indian athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympic Games next month, it was decided at an emergent meeting of its apex council.

The summer Olympics is scheduled to be held in Tokyo from 23^rd July to 8^th August 2021. The BCCI has decided to support Indian athletes in every form and manner it can. In that spirit, based on the request received from the IOA/MYAS, the Apex Council of BCCI has decided to extend support to the Indian Olympic Association and has pledged a monetary gesture of Rs. 10 crores.

The support to the IOA has come as a bit of surprise, particularly considering some lingering doubts about the Olympic Games actually taking place due to Covid-19 situation around the world and its impending third wave. Certain people and organizations have called for the postponement/cancellation of the July-August Games, which were scheduled for last year but were postponed due to the pandemic. The apex council also decided to constitute a committee to suggest measures to give compensation to domestic cricketers for domestic season 2020 and 2021. The BCCI didn’t organize several men’s and women’s tournaments, largely due to the Covid-19 situation, in the two

seasons despite huge demand to organize them.

“Yes, BCCI will be helping out the Olympic contingent. An amount of Rs 10 crore has been sanctioned by the Apex Council,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.

“It(fund) will be used for the preparation and other contingency purpose of our elite athletes who have qualified for the Tokyo Games. The modalities of the payment will be finalized after talking to Sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association(IOA)”.

The Tokyo Olympic Games will begin from July 23. It is understood that post the departure of LiNing as the kit sponsor, the amount donated by the BCCI will certainly help in multiple ways for the contingent in covering various costs which includes training and preparation.

“The BCCI has always believed in helping the development of Olympic Sports and this is not the first that a big amount is being donated,” he said. The BCCI hoped the Indian athletes would “return with more medals than ever before.”