The chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team, Sjoerd Marijne, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from&nbsp;women team's&nbsp;initiative to raise funds for the needy amid COVID-19 pandemic, life in lockdown, sports post-coronavirus, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, idea of quarantine camps for Olympic hopefuls and much more...

Digvijay Singh Deo: Sjoerd, good to have you back on WION, how have you been all through this phase?

Sjoerd Marijne: We have been in quarantine for over 9 weeks now, so it has been a very challenging period for our team and the entire support staff, but we are trying to stay positive.

DSD: Before I get into that, I must from all of us here at WION applaud you and the team for what you all have been doing through this period of great suffering. Close to 19 lakhs raised for charity.so how did this idea come up and who were the players driving this?

Sjoerd Marijne: Thank you very much for that. I am very proud of the players for raising almost rupees 20 lakhs in these times of crisis. I think it is important for those in a privileged position to contribute to society. We have to keep a positive mindset, do what is possible rather than just think about the impossible.

Initially, the players wanted to help out but they were not familiar with the concept of fundraising. So I, along with my support staff explained the idea to them and all of them were on board. Sushila Chanu takes the lead and comes up with fitness challenges, we then post videos on our social media pages of the challenges and encourage people to undertake the task and donate to the fundraiser. The response has been truly excellent and when we see the photos of how we are positively influencing people's lives, it makes all the effort and work worth it. The whole team is enjoying this task and it is a kind of team-bonding exercise as well. We realise that we are in a position of privilege, that we do not have to struggle for essentials. Other people are not as fortunate, so we must acknowledge the reality and do what we can in this crisis.

DSD: You still have a short distance to go to accomplish the goal of 20 lakhs, Sjoerd so why don’t you use this platform to ask viewers to chip in as well. It's just a small amount but will go a long way in helping out those in need...

Sjoerd Marijne: I would like to appeal to everyone to support the noble initiative of the women's team &nbsp;and raise money for those who are struggling during the coronavirus crisis.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
On behalf of our entire team I thank you all for supporting us in the campaign to help needy people during Covid-19. I am happy to share that in just a week we have raised ₹15 Lakhs 
 
1/2 <a href="https://t.co/TpVJls1NJZ">pic.twitter.com/TpVJls1NJZ</a>
— Rani Rampal (@imranirampal) <a href="https://twitter.com/imranirampal/status/1253371935443976195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

DSD: Hopefully we can close out the goal today itself. So Sjoerd personally how has this been for you. How is your family doing back in holland?

Sjoerd Marijne: Yes it is challenging, I try to video call my family at least 3-4 times a day. My wife is alone, so it is a tough situation for her and she has to keep herself protected. Earlier I used to be home for about one week every month, but now since the international borders are shut I haven't been back for over two months. The most important thing for everyone, including my family, is &nbsp;to take care of their health. Fortunately, I am able to speak to my family on a daily basis and I am sure we will get through this.

<img alt="Exclusive | Sjoerd Marijne in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6580786c-7709-4135-abd9-5e04c9295c00" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hokcte.jpg" />

DSD: You in fact had tickets to go back in March but you didn’t, international travel does not look very promising at least for the next two-three months, are you feeling rather upset that you can't be with the family right now or you made the right call by staying here?

Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, I think I made the correct decision by staying in India. It would have been unfair on my part as coach of the national team to be away from the squad in a time like this. We are also a family here and we have to stick together.

DSD: Obviously you must be tracking what is going on in sport back home as well, the Eredivisie was cancelled and no winner this year. I find it extremely brilliant that all teams were on board with this and both Ajax and Alkmaar didn’t object despite being clear leaders...

Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, the Eredivisie campaign has been called off, but a lot of discussions are going on at the moment, since not everyone is happy with the way in which the decision was made. But since I am not aware of the details of the state of affairs in the Netherlands, it would be unfair on my part to comment on such matters.

DSD: How do you look at sport in general Sjoerd post this pandemic…there is talk of playing behind closed doors to finish European football seasons because there is a lot of money at stake, where do you stand on that, do you think sport can resume at this time?

Sjoerd Marijne: The most important thing at the moment to follow the guidelines of the government. They have to guide us during this period. Of course , we would love to be back on the field competing again, but that can only happen when the situation improves and when the government deems it safe enough. We can only speculate on matters, I don't think we will see any international action this year. The world is facing much bigger issues at this point in time and health has to be the top priority.

DSD: We have a rather peculiar situation here, people are stuck at home and want to see the sport. The only way to do that is behind closed doors but since you understand team sport better than us you know that there are so many people who are needed for a game to go ahead and you are putting all of them at risk…

Sjoerd Marijne: The main question is, how much risk are you willing to take in order to see sports resume? I cannot answer these questions, they are for the government and sporting authorities to address. I understand that it is frustrating for fans around the world to not watch any action, but fighting the pandemic is more important than seeing sport return. We all have to have a lot of patience in these uncertain times. There are a lot of 'what if' questions we have, but none of them has any answers. We cannot even plan for the Olympics yet next year because we don't know when international matches will resume. So, all we can do is wait for government approval and let the authorities decide when action will return. 
There are much more serious problems the world is dealing with, one of my friend's mother passed away recently and no one could even attend the funeral because of the coronavirus restrictions. So, we have to look at things in perspective when we talk about sport.

<img alt="Exclusive | Sjoerd Marijne in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9373915c-95be-4911-b1b5-81ef0d302a17" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Hockey.jpg" />

&nbsp;

DSD: Obviously sport as we know it will have to readjust and find 'new normals', what will be the changes in hockey. Obviously it is a team sport and all of you are in close proximity to each other both on the training pitch as well during matches.

Sjoerd Marijne: As I said before, we do not know what the situation will be in the next few months. Maybe there is a vaccine that is available this year, then there might not be many changes to the way we play the sport. It is too early to say for sure whether our sport will change or not once it resumes because we have no idea when it will.

DSD: I was speaking to Siegfried Aikman earlier this week and he was of the opinion that all coaches are going to have a lot of worries with the Olympics postponed. He felt team dynamics would take a hit with some players having originally planned to retire after the 2020 games. For you with the Indian team what is the road ahead?

Sjoerd Marijne: I was obviously disappointed that the Olympics were postponed, but I got over it quickly and started thinking of ways to prepare for the 2021 &nbsp;games. We have a very young squad and this one more year of preparation might prove to be a positive for us.

Janneke Schopman, our analytical coach, is a great addition to our team and her inputs will certainly make us stronger, fortunately, we don't have players who are thinking about retirement over the next couple of years. Obviously the postponement means that we have to go back to square one, in terms of our preparation. But there are ways to deal with these circumstances by being mentally strong and not stressing about things that are beyond our control. I see a lot of potential growth for this team over the next year and hopefully, we will be able to play matches soon.

DSD: The team was starting to peak and perhaps 12 more months could be perfect for you and make India proper medal contenders?

Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, it can work in our favour but we have to wait. Only practice will not help , we will need to play competitive matches for the team to grow. That is why it is important to be patient and wait for the situation to get better. &nbsp;The girls have been training individually for the last nine weeks now and they need a well-deserved break. So, as soon as the lockdown ends, they will be free to return to their families.

DSD: As a coach how do you now prepare for the Olympics 15 months away without knowing when you will be allowed to train normally or even travel to play matches, so do you think it is a journey into the unknown for you?

Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, it is a real challenge. But we have to adapt and make the best of what we have. I can still control the daily sessions have with my team, we work on strength and conditioning and also analyse other teams. These are the things that I am keeping myself and the team busy with. Everything else is out of my control so I do not waste my time in dwelling on those issues. I have accepted the prevailing situation and try to stay positive. There are much more important things at stake right now and we as a team realise that. A lot of the girls in our team come from poor backgrounds and they understand how difficult it is for families to make ends meet.

<img alt="Exclusive | Sjoerd Marijne in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f23823e-cd89-443d-91bd-a51ac6a7d751" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/hock.jpg" />

&nbsp;

DSD: The IOA wants all Olympic hopefuls and those qualified to be put into quarantine camps where training can continue. Now you have been in one such camp for more than a month where no outsiders are allowed. How helpful will this be and what advantage will it give to India's sportspersons as not all countries have such large campuses to get their players together?

Sjoerd Marijne: We have to follow the guidelines of the government. It would be extremely helpful to our team if we can play hockey, but we will only do it once the approval comes from the government. We have been in quarantine for the last nine weeks, and since the national lockdown was introduced, no one has been allowed to enter the SAI campus in Bengaluru, nor has anyone from inside the campus been allowed to go out. So, fortunately, we are safe here. In some other countries as well, like Germany and the Netherlands, teams have started training. So I'm not sure if India will get a head-start on other teams in terms of preparation. Other countries do not have huge centres as we do in India, but it is still possible for them to train. I think once the situation gets better in India, the government can introduce the quarantine-like camps for other sports as well.

DSD: I&nbsp;always like to end on an optimistic note, so what is the most important lesson that you have learnt from this crisis?

Sjoerd Marijne: I think I have learned to deal with things on a daily basis. I keep making short term goals for myself to make it easier to overcome the problem. I do not keep dwelling on the fact that I am away from my family, because it will only take away the positivity out of me and that will have an adverse effect on me and the women's team.

The chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team, Sjoerd Marijne, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from women team's initiative to raise funds for the needy amid COVID-19 pandemic, life in lockdown, sports post-coronavirus, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, idea of quarantine camps for Olympic hopefuls and much more.

The chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team, Sjoerd Marijne, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke about a lot of things ranging from women team's initiative to raise funds for the needy amid COVID-19 pandemic, life in lockdown, sports post-coronavirus, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, idea of quarantine camps for Olympic hopefuls and much more... Digvijay Singh Deo: Sjoerd, good to have you back on WION, how have you been all through this phase? Sjoerd Marijne: We have been in quarantine for over 9 weeks now, so it has been a very challenging period for our team and the entire support staff, but we are trying to stay positive. DSD: Before I get into that, I must from all of us here at WION applaud you and the team for what you all have been doing through this period of great suffering. Close to 19 lakhs raised for charity.so how did this idea come up and who were the players driving this? Sjoerd Marijne: Thank you very much for that. I am very proud of the players for raising almost rupees 20 lakhs in these times of crisis. I think it is important for those in a privileged position to contribute to society. We have to keep a positive mindset, do what is possible rather than just think about the impossible. Initially, the players wanted to help out but they were not familiar with the concept of fundraising. So I, along with my support staff explained the idea to them and all of them were on board. Sushila Chanu takes the lead and comes up with fitness challenges, we then post videos on our social media pages of the challenges and encourage people to undertake the task and donate to the fundraiser. The response has been truly excellent and when we see the photos of how we are positively influencing people's lives, it makes all the effort and work worth it. The whole team is enjoying this task and it is a kind of team-bonding exercise as well. We realise that we are in a position of privilege, that we do not have to struggle for essentials. Other people are not as fortunate, so we must acknowledge the reality and do what we can in this crisis. DSD: You still have a short distance to go to accomplish the goal of 20 lakhs, Sjoerd so why don’t you use this platform to ask viewers to chip in as well. It's just a small amount but will go a long way in helping out those in need... Sjoerd Marijne: I would like to appeal to everyone to support the noble initiative of the women's team and raise money for those who are struggling during the coronavirus crisis. On behalf of our entire team I thank you all for supporting us in the campaign to help needy people during Covid-19. I am happy to share that in just a week we have raised ₹15 Lakhs 1/2 pic.twitter.com/TpVJls1NJZ — Rani Rampal (@imranirampal) April 23, 2020 × DSD: Hopefully we can close out the goal today itself. So Sjoerd personally how has this been for you. How is your family doing back in holland? Sjoerd Marijne: Yes it is challenging, I try to video call my family at least 3-4 times a day. My wife is alone, so it is a tough situation for her and she has to keep herself protected. Earlier I used to be home for about one week every month, but now since the international borders are shut I haven't been back for over two months. The most important thing for everyone, including my family, is to take care of their health. Fortunately, I am able to speak to my family on a daily basis and I am sure we will get through this. DSD: You in fact had tickets to go back in March but you didn’t, international travel does not look very promising at least for the next two-three months, are you feeling rather upset that you can't be with the family right now or you made the right call by staying here? Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, I think I made the correct decision by staying in India. It would have been unfair on my part as coach of the national team to be away from the squad in a time like this. We are also a family here and we have to stick together. DSD: Obviously you must be tracking what is going on in sport back home as well, the Eredivisie was cancelled and no winner this year. I find it extremely brilliant that all teams were on board with this and both Ajax and Alkmaar didn’t object despite being clear leaders... Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, the Eredivisie campaign has been called off, but a lot of discussions are going on at the moment, since not everyone is happy with the way in which the decision was made. But since I am not aware of the details of the state of affairs in the Netherlands, it would be unfair on my part to comment on such matters. DSD: How do you look at sport in general Sjoerd post this pandemic…there is talk of playing behind closed doors to finish European football seasons because there is a lot of money at stake, where do you stand on that, do you think sport can resume at this time? Sjoerd Marijne: The most important thing at the moment to follow the guidelines of the government. They have to guide us during this period. Of course , we would love to be back on the field competing again, but that can only happen when the situation improves and when the government deems it safe enough. We can only speculate on matters, I don't think we will see any international action this year. The world is facing much bigger issues at this point in time and health has to be the top priority. DSD: We have a rather peculiar situation here, people are stuck at home and want to see the sport. The only way to do that is behind closed doors but since you understand team sport better than us you know that there are so many people who are needed for a game to go ahead and you are putting all of them at risk… Sjoerd Marijne: The main question is, how much risk are you willing to take in order to see sports resume? I cannot answer these questions, they are for the government and sporting authorities to address. I understand that it is frustrating for fans around the world to not watch any action, but fighting the pandemic is more important than seeing sport return. We all have to have a lot of patience in these uncertain times. There are a lot of 'what if' questions we have, but none of them has any answers. We cannot even plan for the Olympics yet next year because we don't know when international matches will resume. So, all we can do is wait for government approval and let the authorities decide when action will return. There are much more serious problems the world is dealing with, one of my friend's mother passed away recently and no one could even attend the funeral because of the coronavirus restrictions. So, we have to look at things in perspective when we talk about sport. DSD: Obviously sport as we know it will have to readjust and find 'new normals', what will be the changes in hockey. Obviously it is a team sport and all of you are in close proximity to each other both on the training pitch as well during matches. Sjoerd Marijne: As I said before, we do not know what the situation will be in the next few months. Maybe there is a vaccine that is available this year, then there might not be many changes to the way we play the sport. It is too early to say for sure whether our sport will change or not once it resumes because we have no idea when it will. DSD: I was speaking to Siegfried Aikman earlier this week and he was of the opinion that all coaches are going to have a lot of worries with the Olympics postponed. He felt team dynamics would take a hit with some players having originally planned to retire after the 2020 games. For you with the Indian team what is the road ahead? Sjoerd Marijne: I was obviously disappointed that the Olympics were postponed, but I got over it quickly and started thinking of ways to prepare for the 2021 games. We have a very young squad and this one more year of preparation might prove to be a positive for us. Janneke Schopman, our analytical coach, is a great addition to our team and her inputs will certainly make us stronger, fortunately, we don't have players who are thinking about retirement over the next couple of years. Obviously the postponement means that we have to go back to square one, in terms of our preparation. But there are ways to deal with these circumstances by being mentally strong and not stressing about things that are beyond our control. I see a lot of potential growth for this team over the next year and hopefully, we will be able to play matches soon. DSD: The team was starting to peak and perhaps 12 more months could be perfect for you and make India proper medal contenders? Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, it can work in our favour but we have to wait. Only practice will not help , we will need to play competitive matches for the team to grow. That is why it is important to be patient and wait for the situation to get better. The girls have been training individually for the last nine weeks now and they need a well-deserved break. So, as soon as the lockdown ends, they will be free to return to their families. DSD: As a coach how do you now prepare for the Olympics 15 months away without knowing when you will be allowed to train normally or even travel to play matches, so do you think it is a journey into the unknown for you? Sjoerd Marijne: Yes, it is a real challenge. But we have to adapt and make the best of what we have. I can still control the daily sessions have with my team, we work on strength and conditioning and also analyse other teams. These are the things that I am keeping myself and the team busy with. Everything else is out of my control so I do not waste my time in dwelling on those issues. I have accepted the prevailing situation and try to stay positive. There are much more important things at stake right now and we as a team realise that. A lot of the girls in our team come from poor backgrounds and they understand how difficult it is for families to make ends meet. DSD: The IOA wants all Olympic hopefuls and those qualified to be put into quarantine camps where training can continue. Now you have been in one such camp for more than a month where no outsiders are allowed. How helpful will this be and what advantage will it give to India's sportspersons as not all countries have such large campuses to get their players together? Sjoerd Marijne: We have to follow the guidelines of the government. It would be extremely helpful to our team if we can play hockey, but we will only do it once the approval comes from the government. We have been in quarantine for the last nine weeks, and since the national lockdown was introduced, no one has been allowed to enter the SAI campus in Bengaluru, nor has anyone from inside the campus been allowed to go out. So, fortunately, we are safe here. In some other countries as well, like Germany and the Netherlands, teams have started training. So I'm not sure if India will get a head-start on other teams in terms of preparation. Other countries do not have huge centres as we do in India, but it is still possible for them to train. I think once the situation gets better in India, the government can introduce the quarantine-like camps for other sports as well. DSD: I always like to end on an optimistic note, so what is the most important lesson that you have learnt from this crisis? Sjoerd Marijne: I think I have learned to deal with things on a daily basis. I keep making short term goals for myself to make it easier to overcome the problem. I do not keep dwelling on the fact that I am away from my family, because it will only take away the positivity out of me and that will have an adverse effect on me and the women's team.

Exclusive: 'Proud of the players for raising almost Rs 20 lakhs' - Sjoerd Marijne opens up on Indian women hockey team's fundraiser for needy and more

Tennis world has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with plenty of events postponed including the historic decision of cancelling the Wimbledon. Tokyo Olympics, too, have been pushed back to 2021 amid the pandemic. There are discussions that players below the ranking of 100 are struggling financially due to the lockdown phase. Swiss maestro Roger Federer had even proposed a merger between ATP and WTA in a bid to come out stronger post the lockdown period.&nbsp;

Indian tennis star, Divij Sharan, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about life in lockdown, proposal of a merger between ATP and WTA, financial struggles of tennis players, postponement of Tokyo Olympics and much more…

Digvijay Singh Deo: Divij, been a rough time for the UK through this crisis, how have you been managing through all of this?

Divij Sharan: These are obviously tough times for everybody and things in the UK aren't looking very good at the moment. I am pretty much in my own cocoon and only step out to get essentials. So just like most people in the world, I'm trying to stay safe indoors.

DSD: So was it a conscious decision to base yourself in the UK or were you caught bang in the middle of the shutdown?

Divij Sharan: The last tournament I was involved in was India's Davis Cup tie in Croatia in March. After the tie, I returned to Delhi for a few days. I thought I would travel to England to prepare for the clay-court swing. I was scheduled to play a tournament in Morocco and was supposed to train for three weeks in England. A few days after I arrived in England, tournaments started getting cancelled because of the health crisis. India closed its borders and so did the UK subsequently. All these announcements were made in a short span of time and I have been stuck here since then. But it would have been tougher to deal with the situation if I was alone, but I am with my wife, Samantha Murray, who is British and it is nice to be able to spend some quality time with her.

DSD: I think if anyone wants to understand the meaning of staying fit during this period then they should scroll through your Twitter feed. You have made ample use of the back garden.

Divij Sharan: It is great that my wife is also a tennis player because it means I have a training partner during the lockdown. We are trying our best to keep fit, we have a back garden and we use it to do various tennis drills. We try to be as innovative as we can with the drills so that we can keep ourselves active and also enjoy our sessions.

DSD: The first few weeks may have been tough but now seeing more and more videos of players finding novel ways of training. Rohan Bopanna was hitting those forehands and you have found a way to play both forehand and backhand...

Divij Sharan: It is actually a very strange situation, especially for us tennis players. For 10 months of the year, we are on tour and follow an extremely busy schedule. We have a very short offseason, so we have never had a such a long break away from tennis. There is so much uncertainty that we don't know when the season will resume, so there's no goal we can work towards. There is nothing we as players can prepare for. Most of the players don't have access to a tennis court or a gym, so the skill level of players will also suffer. We are trying to stay fit with whatever resources we have access to. It is a very precarious situation.

<img alt="Exclusive | Divij Sharan in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2f23bf97-ff40-4aa9-8ac3-9fa570720fab" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1BZ6MA.jpg" />

DSD: How tough is this period for an active player Divij, we can still manage to work from home but the tour professional can't make a career playing e-tennis...

Divij Sharan: Yes, certainly. That holds true for all professions, not just tennis. I feel everyone is in the same boat as the crisis. As sportspersons and tennis players, our career span is very short, so we need to continue to make our living. In terms of my career as well, this break throws my future up in the air. I am 34 and I'm not sure how long I will be able to continue playing. There is no drastic improvement in the situation and no one knows when the next tournament will take place. Initially, I felt the break would be a welcome one for me to recharge my batteries and return to the game, but now there seems to be no restart date for the season. It is possible that the tour is suspended even further than July. As a sportsperson, this is how we earn our livelihood and there is no substitute for competitive action.

DSD: Is waiting or not knowing when the tour will start the toughest part?

Divij Sharan: Yes it is especially tough because I would want to be competing at tour events at this stage of my career. I spent many years in the challenger circuit, I had to work my way up to get the opportunity to play at the big-ticket events. So ideally this is when I would want to play as many tournaments as I can and get higher in the rankings.

DSD: Already there has been a sort of announcement from the tennis bodies that there will be a player relief package coming up. How dire is the situation for professionals below the ranking of 100?

Divij Sharan:&nbsp;Yes, I feel the top 100 players will be able to deal with the shutdown without any financial problems. But as you move down the rankings, players ranked 400 or 500 are not even breaking even when the tour is on, so they are really struggling during the shutdown. In popular team sports like cricket and football, non-elite players are still able to make a decent living, but that is not the case with tennis players.so not just for the coronavirus crisis, the sport would anyway definitely benefit from a fund for lower-ranked players in the long-term/

DSD: What many do not realise Divij is the actual costs of being a travelling professional. We see the cool photos on social media and think this guy has a sorted life. What we don’t see is the nomadic life, paying bills a shuttling from city to city on the tour.what are the expenses like?

Divij Sharan:&nbsp;Yes it's not easy at all. As a doubles player, the prize money for us is nowhere near as much as in the singles competitions. In team sports, there is a backroom and management staff who are there to handle travel arrangements and finances, but tennis players have to manage everything on our own. A player wants to play in as many tournaments as possible, so booking flights and making hotel reservations can get very expensive. If your coach or physio travels with you, then obviously the cost will be doubled. So only players at the top level are able to comfortably manage these expenses.

<img alt="Exclusive | Divij Sharan in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="020608f3-4eb0-424e-902e-1a39521e0b0a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1CY2J2.jpg" />

DSD: Also many others are coming together like Patrick Mouratoglou and Stefanos Tsitsipas to get together a fund for those ranked below 100….Andy Roddick is selling a tennis experience at US Open…

Divij Sharan:&nbsp;Many people who are in a privileged position are trying to help out financially. Even in India, Somdev Devvarman is involved with an initiative which is helping out not just the players, but also the support staff whose livelihoods depend on tennis. I've tried to chip in myself and spread awareness on the matter. Any kind of assistance makes a difference. Hopefully, tennis and other sports will be able to overcome this crisis and return soon.

DSD: Through this crisis, we have seen the top players get involved, be it entertaining fans on social media or donating to a cause. Roger Federer made a suggestion calling for the WTA &amp; ATP tours to be merged. Is it time now?

Divij Sharan: Yes, that would be interesting if the two tours merge. Very few tournaments have both men's and women's competitions. Most of the events are either just for men or just for women, apart from the Grand Slams. I think it would be great for tennis and personally, for me, it would be ideal because my wife is also a professional player and we would get to spend more time with each other. It will definitely need a lot of planning and deliberation from all stakeholders.

DSD: Tell us from a players point of you how this will work, obviously there are many tournaments where the men and women play alongside each other outside of the grand slams. Can this be done?

Divij Sharan: From a player's point of view, if the merger does go through, then venues would need to be ready with the necessary infrastructure to be able to hold both men's and women's competitions simultaneously. So the venues will need to have a substantial number of show courts because we want spectators to attend these matches. So the logistical demands might not make the merger possible for every tournament. But even if it can be done for a few events on the tour, then it would be great for the sport.

DSD: What it will also do is open up the possibility of mixed doubles perhaps becoming a regular tour event and not just something we see only at slams and major games.

Divij Sharan:&nbsp;Right now the mixed doubles event is only part of grand slams, the Olympics and continental competitions like the Asian Games. If it does become a regular occurrence on the calendar, then things would change drastically. The idea is a little ambitious because of the logistical demands of having a combined event, but if it is possible then I am all for it.

DSD: Talking of the games, the Olympics were pushed back and you were on course for making a first appearance at the games. Indian tennis has done well at multi-discipline games and you won the Asiad gold with bops so how do you look at this postponement.

Divij Sharan:&nbsp;Every athlete looks forward to the Olympics since it comes once in four years. Under the circumstances, it is extremely unfortunate that the games were postponed, but there was no other option. Health has to be our top priority and we must overcome this crisis before thinking about preparing for the Olympics next year. All of us want the Olympics to be held in all its glory and in the right spirit.

<img alt="Exclusive | Divij Sharan in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="15ce11c2-9c81-404c-82fc-f8e231b18557" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1CY2EC.jpg" />

DSD: Japan PM Shinzo Abe says it will be impossible to hold the Olympics until the virus is contained. So the possibility exists that Tokyo Olympics may never happen. How disturbing is that thought for someone like you who has waited for a chance for so long to make the cut for the Olympics?

Divij Sharan: Yes, it is absolutely devastating. But if the Olympics are not held, then it would probably mean that the tennis season won't start as well, which would also be a huge blow for me. If I get the chance to compete at the Olympics, it would a real honour and the biggest opportunity of my professional career. But I feel it is also important for the regular tennis season to get up and running for other major events to be held.

DSD: Before this lockdown was imposed had you and Rohan Bopanna planned on a run together heading into Tokyo and is that something you will revisit next year.

Divij Sharan: Yes, we had a plan in mind for the 2020 July Olympics. Rohan and I were scheduled to play three clay-court tournaments before the french open. The qualifying period was supposed to end just after Roland Garros. We would have probably played the grass-court swing together as well leading up to the games. But now since the games are going to be held in 2021, we will re-assess our plans once we have more clarity on the situation. Hopefully, we will be able to qualify and get a medal for India at the 2021 Olympics.

DSD: What will be the new normal once it does. Clearly no handshakes but even for a &nbsp;doubles player, there is another person on a court with you so doubles bonding may have to be redefined in the coming days.

Divij Sharan: Yes, our daily life will change considerably in the post-virus world. The way we travel, communicate and plan our lives will not be the same. We might not be able to interact with the fans in the stadium, but I don't think our on-court conduct with our partners will change. A doubles pair spends a lot of time together away from the court as well, so I don't think a fist-bump or a high five will be a health danger. The on-court relationship between partners should not change. But there are bound to be drastic changes away from the court and it will be interesting to see what's in store.

DSD: I always like to end these interviews on an optimistic note so what will Divij do when the lockdown is lifted and the world gets back to normality...

Divij Sharan: I actually miss travelling, so it would be good to get back into my normal routine of going for tournaments. Obviously I would love to be back out on the court. I also haven't been able to meet my family in a while, so I hope I get the opportunity to fly back to Delhi soon. I like travelling by air and keep checking on my 'frequent flyer benefits' with airlines. Strangely I miss being in hotels as well since I'm so used to my nomadic life as a tennis player. Hopefully, I will be able to do all that soon. 
&nbsp;

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Tennis world has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with plenty of events postponed including the historic decision of cancelling the Wimbledon. Tokyo Olympics, too, have been pushed back to 2021 amid the pandemic.

Tennis world has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with plenty of events postponed including the historic decision of cancelling the Wimbledon. Tokyo Olympics, too, have been pushed back to 2021 amid the pandemic. There are discussions that players below the ranking of 100 are struggling financially due to the lockdown phase. Swiss maestro Roger Federer had even proposed a merger between ATP and WTA in a bid to come out stronger post the lockdown period. Indian tennis star, Divij Sharan, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about life in lockdown, proposal of a merger between ATP and WTA, financial struggles of tennis players, postponement of Tokyo Olympics and much more… Digvijay Singh Deo: Divij, been a rough time for the UK through this crisis, how have you been managing through all of this? Divij Sharan: These are obviously tough times for everybody and things in the UK aren't looking very good at the moment. I am pretty much in my own cocoon and only step out to get essentials. So just like most people in the world, I'm trying to stay safe indoors. DSD: So was it a conscious decision to base yourself in the UK or were you caught bang in the middle of the shutdown? Divij Sharan: The last tournament I was involved in was India's Davis Cup tie in Croatia in March. After the tie, I returned to Delhi for a few days. I thought I would travel to England to prepare for the clay-court swing. I was scheduled to play a tournament in Morocco and was supposed to train for three weeks in England. A few days after I arrived in England, tournaments started getting cancelled because of the health crisis. India closed its borders and so did the UK subsequently. All these announcements were made in a short span of time and I have been stuck here since then. But it would have been tougher to deal with the situation if I was alone, but I am with my wife, Samantha Murray, who is British and it is nice to be able to spend some quality time with her. DSD: I think if anyone wants to understand the meaning of staying fit during this period then they should scroll through your Twitter feed. You have made ample use of the back garden. Divij Sharan: It is great that my wife is also a tennis player because it means I have a training partner during the lockdown. We are trying our best to keep fit, we have a back garden and we use it to do various tennis drills. We try to be as innovative as we can with the drills so that we can keep ourselves active and also enjoy our sessions. DSD: The first few weeks may have been tough but now seeing more and more videos of players finding novel ways of training. Rohan Bopanna was hitting those forehands and you have found a way to play both forehand and backhand... Divij Sharan: It is actually a very strange situation, especially for us tennis players. For 10 months of the year, we are on tour and follow an extremely busy schedule. We have a very short offseason, so we have never had a such a long break away from tennis. There is so much uncertainty that we don't know when the season will resume, so there's no goal we can work towards. There is nothing we as players can prepare for. Most of the players don't have access to a tennis court or a gym, so the skill level of players will also suffer. We are trying to stay fit with whatever resources we have access to. It is a very precarious situation. DSD: How tough is this period for an active player Divij, we can still manage to work from home but the tour professional can't make a career playing e-tennis... Divij Sharan: Yes, certainly. That holds true for all professions, not just tennis. I feel everyone is in the same boat as the crisis. As sportspersons and tennis players, our career span is very short, so we need to continue to make our living. In terms of my career as well, this break throws my future up in the air. I am 34 and I'm not sure how long I will be able to continue playing. There is no drastic improvement in the situation and no one knows when the next tournament will take place. Initially, I felt the break would be a welcome one for me to recharge my batteries and return to the game, but now there seems to be no restart date for the season. It is possible that the tour is suspended even further than July. As a sportsperson, this is how we earn our livelihood and there is no substitute for competitive action. DSD: Is waiting or not knowing when the tour will start the toughest part? Divij Sharan: Yes it is especially tough because I would want to be competing at tour events at this stage of my career. I spent many years in the challenger circuit, I had to work my way up to get the opportunity to play at the big-ticket events. So ideally this is when I would want to play as many tournaments as I can and get higher in the rankings. DSD: Already there has been a sort of announcement from the tennis bodies that there will be a player relief package coming up. How dire is the situation for professionals below the ranking of 100? Divij Sharan: Yes, I feel the top 100 players will be able to deal with the shutdown without any financial problems. But as you move down the rankings, players ranked 400 or 500 are not even breaking even when the tour is on, so they are really struggling during the shutdown. In popular team sports like cricket and football, non-elite players are still able to make a decent living, but that is not the case with tennis players.so not just for the coronavirus crisis, the sport would anyway definitely benefit from a fund for lower-ranked players in the long-term/ DSD: What many do not realise Divij is the actual costs of being a travelling professional. We see the cool photos on social media and think this guy has a sorted life. What we don’t see is the nomadic life, paying bills a shuttling from city to city on the tour.what are the expenses like? Divij Sharan: Yes it's not easy at all. As a doubles player, the prize money for us is nowhere near as much as in the singles competitions. In team sports, there is a backroom and management staff who are there to handle travel arrangements and finances, but tennis players have to manage everything on our own. A player wants to play in as many tournaments as possible, so booking flights and making hotel reservations can get very expensive. If your coach or physio travels with you, then obviously the cost will be doubled. So only players at the top level are able to comfortably manage these expenses. DSD: Also many others are coming together like Patrick Mouratoglou and Stefanos Tsitsipas to get together a fund for those ranked below 100….Andy Roddick is selling a tennis experience at US Open… Divij Sharan: Many people who are in a privileged position are trying to help out financially. Even in India, Somdev Devvarman is involved with an initiative which is helping out not just the players, but also the support staff whose livelihoods depend on tennis. I've tried to chip in myself and spread awareness on the matter. Any kind of assistance makes a difference. Hopefully, tennis and other sports will be able to overcome this crisis and return soon. DSD: Through this crisis, we have seen the top players get involved, be it entertaining fans on social media or donating to a cause. Roger Federer made a suggestion calling for the WTA & ATP tours to be merged. Is it time now? Divij Sharan: Yes, that would be interesting if the two tours merge. Very few tournaments have both men's and women's competitions. Most of the events are either just for men or just for women, apart from the Grand Slams. I think it would be great for tennis and personally, for me, it would be ideal because my wife is also a professional player and we would get to spend more time with each other. It will definitely need a lot of planning and deliberation from all stakeholders. DSD: Tell us from a players point of you how this will work, obviously there are many tournaments where the men and women play alongside each other outside of the grand slams. Can this be done? Divij Sharan: From a player's point of view, if the merger does go through, then venues would need to be ready with the necessary infrastructure to be able to hold both men's and women's competitions simultaneously. So the venues will need to have a substantial number of show courts because we want spectators to attend these matches. So the logistical demands might not make the merger possible for every tournament. But even if it can be done for a few events on the tour, then it would be great for the sport. DSD: What it will also do is open up the possibility of mixed doubles perhaps becoming a regular tour event and not just something we see only at slams and major games. Divij Sharan: Right now the mixed doubles event is only part of grand slams, the Olympics and continental competitions like the Asian Games. If it does become a regular occurrence on the calendar, then things would change drastically. The idea is a little ambitious because of the logistical demands of having a combined event, but if it is possible then I am all for it. DSD: Talking of the games, the Olympics were pushed back and you were on course for making a first appearance at the games. Indian tennis has done well at multi-discipline games and you won the Asiad gold with bops so how do you look at this postponement. Divij Sharan: Every athlete looks forward to the Olympics since it comes once in four years. Under the circumstances, it is extremely unfortunate that the games were postponed, but there was no other option. Health has to be our top priority and we must overcome this crisis before thinking about preparing for the Olympics next year. All of us want the Olympics to be held in all its glory and in the right spirit. DSD: Japan PM Shinzo Abe says it will be impossible to hold the Olympics until the virus is contained. So the possibility exists that Tokyo Olympics may never happen. How disturbing is that thought for someone like you who has waited for a chance for so long to make the cut for the Olympics? Divij Sharan: Yes, it is absolutely devastating. But if the Olympics are not held, then it would probably mean that the tennis season won't start as well, which would also be a huge blow for me. If I get the chance to compete at the Olympics, it would a real honour and the biggest opportunity of my professional career. But I feel it is also important for the regular tennis season to get up and running for other major events to be held. DSD: Before this lockdown was imposed had you and Rohan Bopanna planned on a run together heading into Tokyo and is that something you will revisit next year. Divij Sharan: Yes, we had a plan in mind for the 2020 July Olympics. Rohan and I were scheduled to play three clay-court tournaments before the french open. The qualifying period was supposed to end just after Roland Garros. We would have probably played the grass-court swing together as well leading up to the games. But now since the games are going to be held in 2021, we will re-assess our plans once we have more clarity on the situation. Hopefully, we will be able to qualify and get a medal for India at the 2021 Olympics. DSD: What will be the new normal once it does. Clearly no handshakes but even for a doubles player, there is another person on a court with you so doubles bonding may have to be redefined in the coming days. Divij Sharan: Yes, our daily life will change considerably in the post-virus world. The way we travel, communicate and plan our lives will not be the same. We might not be able to interact with the fans in the stadium, but I don't think our on-court conduct with our partners will change. A doubles pair spends a lot of time together away from the court as well, so I don't think a fist-bump or a high five will be a health danger. The on-court relationship between partners should not change. But there are bound to be drastic changes away from the court and it will be interesting to see what's in store. DSD: I always like to end these interviews on an optimistic note so what will Divij do when the lockdown is lifted and the world gets back to normality... Divij Sharan: I actually miss travelling, so it would be good to get back into my normal routine of going for tournaments. Obviously I would love to be back out on the court. I also haven't been able to meet my family in a while, so I hope I get the opportunity to fly back to Delhi soon. I like travelling by air and keep checking on my 'frequent flyer benefits' with airlines. Strangely I miss being in hotels as well since I'm so used to my nomadic life as a tennis player. Hopefully, I will be able to do all that soon.

Exclusive: ATP-WTA merger would be great for tennis - Divij Sharan opens up about Roger Federer's proposal, impact of COVID-19 in world of sports and more

With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting athletes and coaches to work indoors, professional sportspersons and support staff have taken this opportunity to reflect on their tactics and other various aspects of their respective sports.

With the COVID-19 pandemic restricting athletes and coaches to work indoors, professional sportspersons and support staff have taken this opportunity to reflect on their tactics and other various aspects of their respective sports. While hockey remains to be one of the most demanding sports, the prolonged lockdown phase can create a major impact as to how a team plays and fitness levels of players. The head coach of Japanese men's national hockey team, Siegfried Aikman, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on various aspects of hockey, the postponement of Tokyo Olympics, life under lockdown in Japan, Team India's chances in the forthcoming Games and much more... Digvijay Singh Deo: Thank you for your time, Siegfried, how has it been over there in Japan during the lockdown? Siegfried Aikman: There is a soft lockdown here in Japan, which means that people are allowed to go outside. The government cannot force you to stay inside but the Japanese are very disciplined and obedient, so most of the country is staying indoors. The number of coronavirus cases in Japan is rising, but we don't know the exact number because not many people are being tested. But in Japan the virus has not spread as rapidly as it has in the countries, there are a couple of hotspots, Tokyo and Osaka, but apart from those cities, none of the areas has a high number of cases. DSD: As a foreign national in Japan, what are the precautions you are taking? Siegfried Aikman: Not much different than others. I try to keep track of the latest information, I wear my face mask when I go outside and try to stay home as much as possible. I am following the government's coronavirus and social distancing guidelines. DSD: What about your players, I did read most of them have been released to return to their daily lives, that must be disconcerting for you? Siegfried Aikman: Yes that is a cause for concern, some of my players are in the danger zones of Tokyo and Osaka. The players are supposed to report for duty at the various organisations that they are part of, which increases their chances of contracting the virus as they would be travelling a lot and coming in contact with a lot of people. Even for organising a national camp, we have to negotiate with the companies for player availability. We had a camp organised for our team, but because of the Olympic postponement, the camp was also cancelled. Fortunately, we are monitoring the body temperatures of all our players and are keeping track of their health conditions on a daily basis. If we notice anything untoward, then the information will be conveyed to the player and he will be taken to the hospital. When we were in camp, we isolated a few players who had mild fevers, but fortunately, all of them recovered quickly and none of them had contracted coronavirus. DSD: How has Japan reacted to the postponement of the Olympics? Siegfried Aikman: It was a very brave decision for japan to postpone the Olympics. The country had been planning the event for a long period of time and a lot was riding on it financially. The Olympic village was also set to become public property after the games. But the health of all the athletes and the people of Japan was given priority and the postponement decision was taken keeping that in mind. The IOC was probably forced into making an early decision because of the boycott threats from Australia and Canada. But earlier we have seen the Olympics take place despite certain countries boycotting them. But overall, I think the right decision was made by the IOC and many athletes and felt a sense of relief. The people of Japan wanted to put on a magnificent show for the world and they didn't want a secondary version of the event taking place. The people of Japan were obviously a bit disappointed with the postponement, but they realised that it was necessary. The decision would have never been taken if it was not the only option available to the IOC. The Olympics is obviously not more important than the health of the people. DSD: Already we see a tug of war over who is going to foot the bill for the postponement and it is definitely not going to be a small amount, ultimately it will be the Japanese taxpayer? Siegfried Aikman: Yes that discussion is going on in the country, but it is more of a political matter. It is not so much a concern for the people of Japan. The Japanese people pay a national tax and a local tax, so the national government gets a lot of income. The cost of the postponement will be a multi-billion dollar amount, but I think the organisers and the Japanese government will be able to bear the cost with the support of the sponsors. Ultimately when the Olympics are held, the event will do a lot of good for the people of Japan. View this post on Instagram #Repost @asiahockey with @make_repost ・・・ FIH Senior Coach and Japan Men's team Head Coach, Siegfried Aikman shares some golden tips of knowledge with us. #AsiaHockey #StayAtHome A post shared by サムライジャパン (@japan_hockey_samurai) on Apr 9, 2020 at 4:40pm PDT × DSD: There are voices coming out of japan that if there is no vaccine then the games are as good as over. Is there a determination that comes what may the Olympics have to be held? Siegfried Aikman: Yes, I think the games have to be held in 2021 because further postponement would be impossible. Japanese people are certainly determined to hold the games, but not at all costs. If holding the games is still a health hazard in 2021, then the Olympics will simply not be held. The postponement decision was made quite early, 4 months before the Olympics. Usually, the Japanese wait till the last moment to cancel any event and only do so when it is virtually impossible. At the time the postponement decision was made in March, many countries were still unaffected by the coronavirus, but the fact that a decision was made shows that the IOC and the Japanese organising committee are concerned about the health of the athletes and all those involved. It is likely that the event will be held in 2021. On the other hand, we might just have to learn to live with COVID-19, because a virus like this just doesn't disappear immediately. We might have to find another way of dealing with the virus rather than waiting for it to go away. At the moment we are flattening the curve here in japan, which doesn't mean that the virus will disappear, but it means that the medical workers will be better prepared to treat those patients who are infected. Until we get a vaccine, we just have to hope that the number of cases will decrease and the medical workers are protected enough to treat those patients. Usually coming up with a vaccine takes a few years, but since all the top minds in the world are working towards creating a cure, I am optimistic that we will have one soon. DSD: Getting back to hockey now, how will this break shake-up plans for the Olympics for teams? Surely it will have a massive effect on your approach... Siegfried Aikman: Yes, it totally changes our plans for the Olympics. We were completely ready to perform at the Games in July. We were actually at the final stages of our preparation for the 2020 Olympics. The moment the postponement decision was made, we went back to square one and now we have to start from scratch. This also brings up a number of other problems for us, some of our players wanted to retire after the Olympics. There are also question marks over whether these players will be able to perform at the highest level one year later. The entire tactics or preparation of a team might change for the 2021 Games because an extra year gives teams the opportunity to work on various aspects of the game. This can especially be an advantage for European teams to work on their strategy. The club season in Europe does not give the opportunity to national teams to train that often, but since there is no domestic season on, national teams have the chance to construct a detailed plan. I think all hockey coaches are studying the game at the moment and they will be influenced by certain ideas which are bound to be implemented in the national team's program. But in a way, the postponement can be an advantage for our Japanese team as well because it allows us time to work on our physical fitness, which is crucial at a showpiece event like the Olympics. But, overall the postponement will have mixed consequences for all teams. View this post on Instagram ダイアモンドパートナーの @sompo_japan_official のダンスプロジェクトの足が速くなるダンスということでサムライJAPANのメンバーで踊ってみました 是非見てください！#sompoダンスプロジェクト#足が速くなるダンス #おうちにいよう#stayhome #hockey #samuraijapan #teamnippon #nevergiveup #enjoyhockey #tokyo2020 #comeonsamurai #teamjapan #roadtotokyo #がんばろう日本🇯🇵 #大和魂 #サムライジャパン #サムライjapan #ホッケー #ホッケー男子 #tokyo #olympic #2020 #olympicgames A post shared by サムライジャパン (@japan_hockey_samurai) on Apr 25, 2020 at 2:15am PDT × DSD: At the start of the year you sort of knew that some teams had momentum, now with little to no action expected to take place over the next few months, the 2021 Games could be a journey into the unknown... Siegfried Aikman: I disagree. I think there will be certain competitions which could possibly begin by September or October. The European club leagues will take place, the FIH Pro League will hopefully be up and running in the next few months. While the Asian Champions Trophy is also scheduled for this year. So I feel there are enough competitions for teams to practice and prepare before the scheduled games next year. I think the pro league will take place, but in a scenario when it is cancelled, we will still have other international tournaments like the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup take place later this year. Many teams will also organise some test matches to have the opportunity to get back into the groove of things. While we cannot go out and practice on the field, we can still work on ideas and team tactics. These can still be discussed with the players. We can work on strategy and the decision-making skills of our players through video conference team meetings. Many national associations have also provided their athletes with fitness equipment, so the players will be in good shape. In terms of mental preparedness as well, the athletes can use this time to become more tactically aware. Very often it gets difficult to work on our tactics in an in-depth manner because of the lack of time. This might be an interesting outcome of the lockdown, I am looking forward to seeing how the game will change once we're back on the pitch. Hockey coaches can also use this time studying other sports and incorporate ideas that will help their system of play. I am using my time studying different sports. DSD: Do teams like India then have an advantage, the camp didn’t break up, they are still in a quarantine camp of sort. Mostly across Europe, the players assemble only ahead of major events for camps... Siegfried Aikman: It is definitely an advantage to be together with your team in a camp. As long as the guidelines are being followed, then it is an ideal situation because constant communication can take place between team members and coaching staff. Another thing that people are not talking about at the moment, is that athletes can use this period to recover physically and mentally. It is an opportunity to develop a fresh mindset or learn a new skill which could eventually help their performance on the pitch. A rest period is also important for an athlete after a hectic period. Many times you see in individual sports, that players return after a long injury lay-off and win major championships. This happens because athletes get time to re-energise and re-calibrate. Many national teams have very intense programs and camps, this might be a welcome break for them and give them the opportunity to take a step back and reflect. DSD: How impressed have you been by India in recent times, do you see them now as proper claimants for an Olympics medal? Siegfried Aikman: Yes, I can see India finishing on the podium in Tokyo. The Indian team that you see now is a result of the plan put in place by former Hockey India chief Narinder Batra after the 2010 Hockey World Cup in Delhi. Foreign coaches with a winning mentality were employed. The European style of play was also incorporated, but without compromising on the Indian flair. Each coach that India has had over the last few years has influenced the team in a positive manner and contributed to their growth. Now we see a wonderful team which is a threat to all the top nations in the world, but this is the result of a ten-year process. In those ten years, the team has taken gradual steps and climbed the ladder to become a top-five team. The success that India has had has been well-deserved and if you notice that each time a coach has been changed, there has been steady progress. India put in an impressive display at the 2018 world cup as well, they were unlucky to lose in the quarter-finals to the Netherlands. They were not outplayed by the Dutch, who is one of the best teams in the world. With a bit of luck, the 2-1 scoreline could have been reversed. In the recent FIH Pro League as well, the team continues to develop and showed that it can compete against the very best, the likes of Belgium, Australia and Germany. So, India is a very promising team and they can draw confidence from their recent results. At the 2018 Asian games, we were expecting to play India in the final, but unfortunately, Malaysia stunned the blues in the semis. luckily we were able to beat Malaysia in the final and I was delighted as a coach. But despite that disappointment at the Asian games, India grew as a team. India has a talented bunch of players with tough competition for places, just like Belgium. In Belgium's case some players who were part of the squad that won the world cup back in 2018, might not make the Olympic squad. I think the priority for India under Graham Reid will be to reach the quarter-finals at the Olympics. Once a team reaches the knockouts, then anything is possible and India can beat any team on their day.

Exclusive: 'Can see India finishing on podium in Tokyo Olympics' - Siegfried Aikman discusses hockey post-lockdown, postponement of 2020 Games and more

With COVID-19 pandemic leaving the sporting calendar shattered, players and support staff have been restricted to train and work indoors. While many continue to prepare themselves for the resumption of the halted season, others are taking this time to take a look at their respective careers while spending quality time with their family.

Exclusive: 'My goal has been to put India on the world map' - Leander Paes reflects on his trophy-laden career, life during and after COVID-19 pandemic and more

With COVID-19 pandemic continuing to keep everyone indoors, sporting action has witnessed an unprecedented halt with almost every tournament and leagues getting either cancelled or postponed. However, some of the countries are contemplating resuming sporting action, behind closed doors, with strict hygienic measures. Sporting bodies have already suffered huge losses due to cancellation of events with some of the football clubs standing down their staff due to financial crisis.

Former captain of the Indian football team and the recipient of Padma Shri, Bhaichung Bhutia, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on life in lockdown, racially provoked attacks on people from North East, struggles of a sportsperson after a prolonged break, football post-COVID-19, and much more…

Digvijay Singh Deo: Bhaichung, good to be able to speak to you, I gather you too were stranded when the lockdown was imposed...

Bhaichung: I have been in Siliguri because I got stuck here while going to Kolkata from Sikkim. My family&nbsp;are in Kolkata, so it is unfortunate that I cannot be with them. But apart from that, it has been a pleasant experience here in Siliguri, it is a beautiful town and since I'm from Sikkim, I love the hills. Luckily I also have some friends here.

DSD: How has it been for you, now it has been over a month and you have always been an outdoors person...

Bhaichung: It has actually been a welcome change for me. I have been travelling quite a lot and it has been hectic for me recently. So it is good that i have this downtime for myself. I also didn't get time to work out because of my earlier schedule, but these days i am trying to improve my fitness levels. I'm also trying to help out as many people as I can in these times of crisis, through my football club - United Sikkim. Any person who needs assistance can contact the number we have put out on social media and we will try to do what we can to help.

DSD: But you must be really happy that while you are stranded in Siliguri, your state of Sikkim has been exemplary in stopping the spread of the virus...

Bhaichung: Yes, Sikkim has done a commendable job in ensuring the disease does not spread rapidly. The geographic location of the state and lack of connectivity has worked in our favour, the airport also hasn't been functioning for a while. The government of Sikkim also has taken proactive measures and the guidelines have been followed religiously by the people of the state. As a result, there are very few coronavirus cases. We were also lucky because the virus started spreading during the early part of the year when very few tourists are in the state. If the virus outbreak had happened in the summer months of May or June, then it would have been a catastrophic situation, about 10-15 lakh tourists come to Sikkim during that period.

<img alt="Exclusive: 'Hope people appreciate value of sport and fitness after crisis' - Bhaichung Bhutia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f11e031d-9ca0-443f-aa5d-39958ca95a6e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Par2735967.jpg" />

DSD: The tourism economy in the state has also taken a big hit...

Bhaichung: Yes, one of the biggest sources of income for people in Sikkim is tourism. During the summer months is where most people in the industry make a large chunk of their money. But there isn't going to be any tourism this season. I feel the taxi drivers are going to be the worst hit since they don't have long term savings and have taken loans for their commercial vehicles. I hope the government comes up with a relief package for them. Even if the lockdown ends, I don't think people are going to travel to places for pleasure in the near future. In fact, I don't think we will see much tourism in the next year, till the time a vaccination is created for the virus. I think until that time people will be sceptical of travelling to other places.

DSD: But while staying at home is important equally important is the availability of food and essential supplies...and especially hilly areas could be difficult to get the information...

Bhaichung: Fortunately, people in rural areas in Sikkim do have access to essentials to sustain themselves. Most people in these areas depend on their own cultivation for food, so agricultural activities have been going on, but at a lesser scale. The government has also been proactive in providing ration to those in need. So overall, the way Sikkim has dealt with the crisis has been excellent.

DSD: There is also the tyranny of distance that the further away you are from Delhi the lesser the information...how has the northeast as a whole been through this last one month, I am told that in Assam there have been issues especially with the daily wage labourers...

Bhaichung: I think the various governments in the northeastern states have been very vigilant during these times. Since Assam is the biggest state in the region, there are many migrant workers who work in industrial areas there, so they are going through tough times, but there is some relief being provided to them by the state government. But the situation here is not as extreme as we see in other parts of the country. The government's measures have ensured that the virus does not spread rapidly. Some states like Manipur and Tripura have zero coronavirus cases as of now.

DSD: Bhaichung, you have been captain of India, Sunil is the captain of India now, Mary has been a tremendous icon for India yet there have been incidents of racially provoked attacks on people from North East...how disappointed are you each time you read or see such visuals?

Bhaichung: It is very upsetting when you see or read about acts of any sort of racial discrimination. I think we as a country must make people more aware and spread the message of unity in diversity because such incidents have been taking place for a long time. At the same time, stringent action must be taken against the culprits of these deplorable acts to set an example. If India wants to become a stronger nation, then we have to unite against any injustice that takes place. Such racist incidents are a black-mark on the diverse social fabric of the country and are an obstacle to our growth as a nation.

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DSD: The government also had to come up with strong deterrents to ensure doctors and nurses on duty are not attacked. What does it tells you about the mentality of people who are attacking the very people out there battling this crisis?

Bhaichung: It is extremely unfortunate that the healthcare workers, who are putting their lives at risk, are being attacked. Earlier, I appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take stringent action against the attackers. We must protect out healthcare workers, especially during the coronavirus crisis. Not only must they be protected from such incidents, but measures should also to ensure medical workers are themselves immune from the virus, we have observed in Italy, there was a such a major spike in cases because the medical workers themselves were falling prey to the disease. So in a country like India, we cannot afford to lose any medical staff in these times. I'm glad that a law has been passed and the government has taken a 'zero-tolerance' stand towards those who attack our front-line workers.

DSD: But this country owes a debt of gratitude to every person, doctors nurses, police, government officials, trash collectors, drivers, everyone who is out there trying to keep the country running, it isn’t an easy task...

Bhaichung: Absolutely, it is because of these people that we are safe and secure inside our respective houses. They have been risking our lives in order to save ours. All of us should ensure that their work is appreciated and they are looked after financially. The chief minister of Odisha, Mr Naveen Patnaik, announced a compensation package worth rupees 50 lakhs for any worker who loses his or her life while battling the coronavirus pandemic. I think this is a great initiative and more state governments should follow suit. It can also spur the people who are fighting on the front-lines.

DSD: There have been certain positive changes that have taken place during the lockdown as well, animals are roaming freely and the air quality has improved considerably... But let’s talk about sports now...unprecedented to see sports&nbsp;wiped off the map at the moment...

Bhaichung: Yes there have been a few pleasant changes that have taken place during the lockdown, the air quality has improved and the rivers are getting cleaner. But the challenge will be to sustain this. But these positive changes, of course, come while thousand of people are dying across the world. In terms of the sporting calendar, this is unprecedented. &nbsp;But I'm sure once the lockdown ends, all sports will return stronger with the right kind of measures taken by the federations. I hope people appreciate the value of sport and fitness after the crisis. Physical fitness can go a long way in maintaining the health and safety of the individual. So I hope this is one lesson we can take from this crisis. Even if people can take out a little bit of time daily from their busy schedules to work out, it will make their lives better.

DSD: There are a lot of anxious sportspersons out there, Bhaichung, who were preparing for their Olympic bow...what is your advice to them as they sit at home?

Bhaichung: The most important thing right now for any sportsperson would be to stay positive. It is especially challenging for senior athletes because one year can be a long time for them in their professional careers. But the postponement could also benefit certain athletes since they would have more time for preparation.

<img alt="Exclusive: 'Hope people appreciate value of sport and fitness after crisis' - Bhaichung Bhutia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fe46ac9-7839-457e-a570-c4bcbede7fdf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del133746.jpg" />

DSD: Indian badminton coach Pullela Gopichand suggested to me that perhaps the ministry should run quarantine camps to ensure our athletes continue to train...sounds feasible to you, even the Indian Olympic Association has now asked for the same...

Bhaichung: Yes I think it is a great suggestion from Pullela Gopichand, it can start with individual sports like badminton and tennis and then when the situation improves, camps can be set up for team sports like football. The top-level players who live close to big cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi can assemble in a sports authority of India complex or any facility approved by the sports ministry. &nbsp;When flights start functioning again, more athletes can join those quarantine camps from different parts of the country.

DSD: How difficult is it for a sportsperson to recover after losing touch with what they do best and how much time will it take for them to regain their peak?

Bhaichung: It does take time, there is no doubt about it. In any sport which requires endurance, athletes have to maintain their fitness levels when they are not competing. In a sport like badminton, if a player does not train for a week or ten days, there is a drastic drop in fitness levels. In other individual sports like tennis,&nbsp;wrestling and boxing as well, you need another player to compete against, but at the moment no one has that privilege. &nbsp;Not just physical fitness, but an athlete also needs to be in an environment where he or she is mentally prepared for competing at the top level. So it is important for athletes to maintain some level of fitness during the lockdown so that they find it easier to get into their regular training schedule once the lockdown ends.

DSD: In your sport football, how much of an impact is this shutdown having on professional football in the country? Do you think smaller clubs will be able to survive this financial crisis?

Bhaichung: If the virus continues to be a threat for the next few months, then the smaller clubs are definitely going to struggle financially. The good thing for Indian football is the outbreak happened when the season was about to finish, the ISL&nbsp;final took place behind closed doors while the i-league was on the verge of completion. So hopefully when the off-season gets over in 3-4 months, we will be able to hold matches while taking the necessary precautions.so if it is possible to begin matches by august or September, even if it is in empty stadiums, then I feel football action should resume. There is a huge market for football in India now, with a substantial television and digital audience which can generate a considerable income for the clubs and players. So, if the green light is given by the government to begin the Indian football season by September, then the All India Football Federation should definitely do all that they can to ensure that the campaign is held.

DSD: Globally, should football resume behind closed doors, there are some countries like Germany who are ready to restart their season...

Bhaichung:&nbsp;Yes, Germany is ready to resume season in may behind closed doors, and I feel if the necessary precautions are taken and if it is safe to do so, then it is the correct decision. The top five leagues in Europe have got a huge audience outside their own countries. It is unfortunate that games will have to take place behind closed doors, but since they have an opportunity to resume the season, football action should be held. Football is the most popular sport in the world and people are longing to watch some sort of sporting activities, so there is also huge revenue to be made.

DSD: How difficult will it be for clubs to get their players up to full fitness after what could end up as a two to three-month break?

Bhaichung: Since most teams in European clubs have been together for a few seasons, I don't think they will need much time to be on the same wavelength again as a team. The only challenge will be for them to regain their fitness levels, but that also should not take more than 10-15 days to achieve. I think if the green signal is given to the leagues, players and coaches will need two weeks to prepare for the resumption. There is a huge opportunity for leagues to begin in the next month and I wouldn't be surprised to see the action resume very soon.

DSD: Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson, even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore...

Bhaichung: I certainly hope sport and sportspersons are appreciated more after the shutdown. Everyone is in the habit of watching sporting action on television during the weekend and I believe once the lockdown is over that all sports will be cherished more. But at the same time, I hope people in India start taking more care of their fitness, especially since we are not a sporting nation. So everyone is talking about investing in health and medical facilities, but apart from that if we can also invest in sports infrastructure, then it will go a long way in improving our collective health and fitness levels. So hopefully there will be more stadiums built, more spaces for children to play in in the future, which will lead to a healthier nation. 
&nbsp;

With COVID-19 pandemic continuing to keep everyone indoors, sporting action has witnessed an unprecedented halt with almost every tournament and leagues getting either cancelled or postponed.

With COVID-19 pandemic continuing to keep everyone indoors, sporting action has witnessed an unprecedented halt with almost every tournament and leagues getting either cancelled or postponed. However, some of the countries are contemplating resuming sporting action, behind closed doors, with strict hygienic measures. Sporting bodies have already suffered huge losses due to cancellation of events with some of the football clubs standing down their staff due to financial crisis. Former captain of the Indian football team and the recipient of Padma Shri, Bhaichung Bhutia, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on life in lockdown, racially provoked attacks on people from North East, struggles of a sportsperson after a prolonged break, football post-COVID-19, and much more… Digvijay Singh Deo: Bhaichung, good to be able to speak to you, I gather you too were stranded when the lockdown was imposed... Bhaichung: I have been in Siliguri because I got stuck here while going to Kolkata from Sikkim. My family are in Kolkata, so it is unfortunate that I cannot be with them. But apart from that, it has been a pleasant experience here in Siliguri, it is a beautiful town and since I'm from Sikkim, I love the hills. Luckily I also have some friends here. DSD: How has it been for you, now it has been over a month and you have always been an outdoors person... Bhaichung: It has actually been a welcome change for me. I have been travelling quite a lot and it has been hectic for me recently. So it is good that i have this downtime for myself. I also didn't get time to work out because of my earlier schedule, but these days i am trying to improve my fitness levels. I'm also trying to help out as many people as I can in these times of crisis, through my football club - United Sikkim. Any person who needs assistance can contact the number we have put out on social media and we will try to do what we can to help. DSD: But you must be really happy that while you are stranded in Siliguri, your state of Sikkim has been exemplary in stopping the spread of the virus... Bhaichung: Yes, Sikkim has done a commendable job in ensuring the disease does not spread rapidly. The geographic location of the state and lack of connectivity has worked in our favour, the airport also hasn't been functioning for a while. The government of Sikkim also has taken proactive measures and the guidelines have been followed religiously by the people of the state. As a result, there are very few coronavirus cases. We were also lucky because the virus started spreading during the early part of the year when very few tourists are in the state. If the virus outbreak had happened in the summer months of May or June, then it would have been a catastrophic situation, about 10-15 lakh tourists come to Sikkim during that period. DSD: The tourism economy in the state has also taken a big hit... Bhaichung: Yes, one of the biggest sources of income for people in Sikkim is tourism. During the summer months is where most people in the industry make a large chunk of their money. But there isn't going to be any tourism this season. I feel the taxi drivers are going to be the worst hit since they don't have long term savings and have taken loans for their commercial vehicles. I hope the government comes up with a relief package for them. Even if the lockdown ends, I don't think people are going to travel to places for pleasure in the near future. In fact, I don't think we will see much tourism in the next year, till the time a vaccination is created for the virus. I think until that time people will be sceptical of travelling to other places. DSD: But while staying at home is important equally important is the availability of food and essential supplies...and especially hilly areas could be difficult to get the information... Bhaichung: Fortunately, people in rural areas in Sikkim do have access to essentials to sustain themselves. Most people in these areas depend on their own cultivation for food, so agricultural activities have been going on, but at a lesser scale. The government has also been proactive in providing ration to those in need. So overall, the way Sikkim has dealt with the crisis has been excellent. DSD: There is also the tyranny of distance that the further away you are from Delhi the lesser the information...how has the northeast as a whole been through this last one month, I am told that in Assam there have been issues especially with the daily wage labourers... Bhaichung: I think the various governments in the northeastern states have been very vigilant during these times. Since Assam is the biggest state in the region, there are many migrant workers who work in industrial areas there, so they are going through tough times, but there is some relief being provided to them by the state government. But the situation here is not as extreme as we see in other parts of the country. The government's measures have ensured that the virus does not spread rapidly. Some states like Manipur and Tripura have zero coronavirus cases as of now. DSD: Bhaichung, you have been captain of India, Sunil is the captain of India now, Mary has been a tremendous icon for India yet there have been incidents of racially provoked attacks on people from North East...how disappointed are you each time you read or see such visuals? Bhaichung: It is very upsetting when you see or read about acts of any sort of racial discrimination. I think we as a country must make people more aware and spread the message of unity in diversity because such incidents have been taking place for a long time. At the same time, stringent action must be taken against the culprits of these deplorable acts to set an example. If India wants to become a stronger nation, then we have to unite against any injustice that takes place. Such racist incidents are a black-mark on the diverse social fabric of the country and are an obstacle to our growth as a nation. DSD: The government also had to come up with strong deterrents to ensure doctors and nurses on duty are not attacked. What does it tells you about the mentality of people who are attacking the very people out there battling this crisis? Bhaichung: It is extremely unfortunate that the healthcare workers, who are putting their lives at risk, are being attacked. Earlier, I appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take stringent action against the attackers. We must protect out healthcare workers, especially during the coronavirus crisis. Not only must they be protected from such incidents, but measures should also to ensure medical workers are themselves immune from the virus, we have observed in Italy, there was a such a major spike in cases because the medical workers themselves were falling prey to the disease. So in a country like India, we cannot afford to lose any medical staff in these times. I'm glad that a law has been passed and the government has taken a 'zero-tolerance' stand towards those who attack our front-line workers. DSD: But this country owes a debt of gratitude to every person, doctors nurses, police, government officials, trash collectors, drivers, everyone who is out there trying to keep the country running, it isn’t an easy task... Bhaichung: Absolutely, it is because of these people that we are safe and secure inside our respective houses. They have been risking our lives in order to save ours. All of us should ensure that their work is appreciated and they are looked after financially. The chief minister of Odisha, Mr Naveen Patnaik, announced a compensation package worth rupees 50 lakhs for any worker who loses his or her life while battling the coronavirus pandemic. I think this is a great initiative and more state governments should follow suit. It can also spur the people who are fighting on the front-lines. DSD: There have been certain positive changes that have taken place during the lockdown as well, animals are roaming freely and the air quality has improved considerably... But let’s talk about sports now...unprecedented to see sports wiped off the map at the moment... Bhaichung: Yes there have been a few pleasant changes that have taken place during the lockdown, the air quality has improved and the rivers are getting cleaner. But the challenge will be to sustain this. But these positive changes, of course, come while thousand of people are dying across the world. In terms of the sporting calendar, this is unprecedented. But I'm sure once the lockdown ends, all sports will return stronger with the right kind of measures taken by the federations. I hope people appreciate the value of sport and fitness after the crisis. Physical fitness can go a long way in maintaining the health and safety of the individual. So I hope this is one lesson we can take from this crisis. Even if people can take out a little bit of time daily from their busy schedules to work out, it will make their lives better. DSD: There are a lot of anxious sportspersons out there, Bhaichung, who were preparing for their Olympic bow...what is your advice to them as they sit at home? Bhaichung: The most important thing right now for any sportsperson would be to stay positive. It is especially challenging for senior athletes because one year can be a long time for them in their professional careers. But the postponement could also benefit certain athletes since they would have more time for preparation. DSD: Indian badminton coach Pullela Gopichand suggested to me that perhaps the ministry should run quarantine camps to ensure our athletes continue to train...sounds feasible to you, even the Indian Olympic Association has now asked for the same... Bhaichung: Yes I think it is a great suggestion from Pullela Gopichand, it can start with individual sports like badminton and tennis and then when the situation improves, camps can be set up for team sports like football. The top-level players who live close to big cities such as Bengaluru and Delhi can assemble in a sports authority of India complex or any facility approved by the sports ministry. When flights start functioning again, more athletes can join those quarantine camps from different parts of the country. DSD: How difficult is it for a sportsperson to recover after losing touch with what they do best and how much time will it take for them to regain their peak? Bhaichung: It does take time, there is no doubt about it. In any sport which requires endurance, athletes have to maintain their fitness levels when they are not competing. In a sport like badminton, if a player does not train for a week or ten days, there is a drastic drop in fitness levels. In other individual sports like tennis, wrestling and boxing as well, you need another player to compete against, but at the moment no one has that privilege. Not just physical fitness, but an athlete also needs to be in an environment where he or she is mentally prepared for competing at the top level. So it is important for athletes to maintain some level of fitness during the lockdown so that they find it easier to get into their regular training schedule once the lockdown ends. DSD: In your sport football, how much of an impact is this shutdown having on professional football in the country? Do you think smaller clubs will be able to survive this financial crisis? Bhaichung: If the virus continues to be a threat for the next few months, then the smaller clubs are definitely going to struggle financially. The good thing for Indian football is the outbreak happened when the season was about to finish, the ISL final took place behind closed doors while the i-league was on the verge of completion. So hopefully when the off-season gets over in 3-4 months, we will be able to hold matches while taking the necessary precautions.so if it is possible to begin matches by august or September, even if it is in empty stadiums, then I feel football action should resume. There is a huge market for football in India now, with a substantial television and digital audience which can generate a considerable income for the clubs and players. So, if the green light is given by the government to begin the Indian football season by September, then the All India Football Federation should definitely do all that they can to ensure that the campaign is held. DSD: Globally, should football resume behind closed doors, there are some countries like Germany who are ready to restart their season... Bhaichung: Yes, Germany is ready to resume season in may behind closed doors, and I feel if the necessary precautions are taken and if it is safe to do so, then it is the correct decision. The top five leagues in Europe have got a huge audience outside their own countries. It is unfortunate that games will have to take place behind closed doors, but since they have an opportunity to resume the season, football action should be held. Football is the most popular sport in the world and people are longing to watch some sort of sporting activities, so there is also huge revenue to be made. DSD: How difficult will it be for clubs to get their players up to full fitness after what could end up as a two to three-month break? Bhaichung: Since most teams in European clubs have been together for a few seasons, I don't think they will need much time to be on the same wavelength again as a team. The only challenge will be for them to regain their fitness levels, but that also should not take more than 10-15 days to achieve. I think if the green signal is given to the leagues, players and coaches will need two weeks to prepare for the resumption. There is a huge opportunity for leagues to begin in the next month and I wouldn't be surprised to see the action resume very soon. DSD: Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson, even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore... Bhaichung: I certainly hope sport and sportspersons are appreciated more after the shutdown. Everyone is in the habit of watching sporting action on television during the weekend and I believe once the lockdown is over that all sports will be cherished more. But at the same time, I hope people in India start taking more care of their fitness, especially since we are not a sporting nation. So everyone is talking about investing in health and medical facilities, but apart from that if we can also invest in sports infrastructure, then it will go a long way in improving our collective health and fitness levels. So hopefully there will be more stadiums built, more spaces for children to play in in the future, which will lead to a healthier nation.

Exclusive: 'Hope people appreciate value of sport and fitness after crisis' - Bhaichung Bhutia opens up on life under lockdown, impact of pandemic on global football and more

Sporting events have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with players and coaching staff being restricted to train and work indoors. Major events like the Olympics, Wimbledon, ISSF World Cup, among many others have been either postponed or cancelled amid the pandemic.

Sporting events have been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with players and coaching staff being restricted to train and work indoors. Major events like the Olympics, Wimbledon, ISSF World Cup, among many others have been either postponed or cancelled amid the pandemic. There is a sense of uncertainty as to when live action will resume as almost the entire world continues to remain under lockdown. Former Olympian shooter and current high-performance coach with the Indian junior rifle team, Suma Shirur, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on the challenges of training under lockdown, how players will regain rhythm post-COVID-19 pandemic, the idea of announcing shooting team for Olympics 15 months before the Games, the proposal of quarantine camps, and much more... × Digvijay Singh Deo: Suma, thanks for joining me...this lockdown has turned your life upside down, one part of the family in goa but you did manage to get your son out of Germany on the last possible flight... Suma Shirur: Yes, it has been quite a challenge for us to get the family together, but eventually we did manage to find our way. My son did return from Germany and was initially quarantined for 14 days, but with the lockdown, he has been indoors for much longer now. But the most important thing is that he is healthy. My in-laws are in Goa and they too are safe and secure. The silver lining of the lockdown is that I am able to spend quality time with my family, something I haven't done for the last two years. DSD: For you personally, is this a welcome pause after a rather hectic run since the Rio Olympics? Suma Shirur: Yes that's true. I have been very busy since I took charge as a high-performance coach of the Indian team two years back, I have not been able to spend more than a week at home during that period. So this lockdown, especially the initial couple of weeks, was a blessing in disguise for me. I was able to earn some much-needed rest and be able to relax at home with my family. Recently, I have started working properly again, we are doing online interaction and exercises with our shooters. There is an acceptance from everyone about the gravity of the prevailing situation and we are trying to find ways to work around it. We cannot wait for the lockdown to end, so we have to plan ahead. DSD: You know what it takes to compete at the Olympics, in fact, the sacrifice of the Olympian is best typified by you as you left your son who must have been two or three when you trained abroad for the Athens Olympics...How disappointing is it for the sportsperson to see the Olympics pushed back? Suma Shirur: Yes I feel it's very disappointing, but then again the International Olympic Committee had no choice. It's especially a setback to our team because I feel the entire Indian team was very well prepared for the games. After the debacle at the Rio games, concrete measures were put in place and we were reaping the benefits of those policies. Most of our shooters are ranked in the top 3 in the world, so we had a team that was ready to compete for gold at Tokyo 2020. So in that sense, the postponement hurt because it wasn't pushed back by 1 or 2 months, but by an entire year. But we have now accepted the decision and we will now strive to be the best team in the world one year later. DSD: I was speaking to Abhinav Bindra a few weeks ago and he suggested that India's coaches need to mentor our younger lot through these tough times... Suma Shirur: Yes, we do have a young team and they have to be guided in the right direction. But that is why we are constantly in touch with them for their support. Even today we had an online call with all the shooters, coaching staff and physios. There is a plan in place for each one of them. So, overall I think this is a tough situation for the young guns to handle, but we are mentoring them every step of the way. With the plan we have in place, our shooters should stay on track for a strong performance at next year's Olympics. DSD: As a coach how have you been interacting with your wards...how do you ensure they stay sharp? Suma Shirur: That is one of the biggest challenges the federation faces, to ensure that the shooters maintain their form. So we have come up with a few contingency plans, depending on how soon w will overcome this COVID-19 crisis. The first scenario is a bit optimistic where our players will get back to training in shooting ranges in July and August, given things improve and we are allowed to do so. But otherwise, it is likely that things do not open up and we might be at home for an extended period of time, with no international or domestic competitions in the calendar. The most important thing is for our athletes to be ready for each scenario. This crisis could go one for the whole year and we might not see any more competitions this season. We are trying to ensure that every shooter has a single lane shooting range in his or her house. Many of them already have mini-ranges, and we are working towards building them for those who do not have access to a range. Even the president of the federation has strongly given his backing to the idea, saying there must be an electronic target system at the shooter's homes so that their training doesn't take a hit. So that would the first step in implementing our long term plan. DSD: Not everyone can shoot at home like and dry practice isn't the same is it...we have also seen the birth of online competitions, is that the way forward you feel? Suma Shirur: Online competitions area great way for shooters to remain competitive, but we can only have those is every shooter has a system in their house, which is not the case. Wall-holding exercises can be done, but that also gets repetitive after a certain period of time. That is why we have made it a priority to ensure that all our shooters, especially the Olympic core group, have an electronic target system at home. That is what we are working on right now and it's going to be a major challenge. DSD: How long do you think it will take our shooters to reach their peak again? Because it will be difficult for them to sustain it during this period. Suma Shirur: Once we get back, I think there will be a big difference between the senior shooters and junior shooters. Some of our shooters have been in the international circuit for than ten years, so they have very strong muscle memory. I think it will take them about a month to get back in the groove. I think the major challenge will be for the junior shooters since they haven't been in the game for a long time. Their bodies are also changing as they grow, so they will need to adapt accordingly. But I think they have enough talent and ability to overcome this challenge. They will need a lot of guidance during this time, but I think after a couple of months in training, they should be back on track. Both the junior and senior shooters though, have to keep themselves physically fit during the lockdown. Even if they are not shooting regularly, they should follow a fitness regime because that will make it easier for them to return to form when they are back shooting competitively. DSD: How difficult will it be for shooters to extend their peak for close to three years, the likes of Apurvi and Anjum have already won quotas in 2018... Suma Shirur: When we speak about Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela, it has been a challenge for them to maintain their form after winning a quote place in 2018, but they have proven themselves already with their performances in the last two years. They have done exceptionally well in the competitions and I don't think it will be tough for them to maintain that same level of performance for one more year. As long as they have the hunger and desire to win competitions, they will undoubtedly be able to carry their excellent form into the Olympics next year. In fact, I believe that this lockdown could be a welcome break for most of our shooters. They have been extremely busy in the last two years, competing at the highest level. They cal use this break to recharge their batteries and re-calibrate things. This might actually help them in taking their performances to the next level, rather than halting their momentum. DSD: That brings me to a crucial point...NRAI has been talking about declaring the team for Tokyo 2021. My concern is, should a team for a competition 15 months away be declared now? Suma Shirur: Initially I was also of the opinion to wait till next year to announce the team for the games. A trial close to next year's games made sense before announcing the team. But looking at the crisis that we have at our hands, I don't think the situation is going to improve in the short term. So we don't know what situation the athletes are going to be in next year. I believe that it would be unfair on the shooters to hold the Olympic trials next year if no international or domestic competitions take place in the calendar. The team for the 2020 games would have been announced in march if it had not been for the coronavirus pandemic. So I think going forward, it would appropriate to announce team and protect their place for the Olympics. That way we can focus on training those shooters and use our resources for their preparation. We could also organise a camp where only the Olympic shooters can train while following the guidelines of the government. DSD: Should there be a quarantine camp as Pullela Gopichand suggested to me and like what the IOA has proposed yesterday? Suma Shirur: Yes I would very much support to that proposal. I think the various sporting bodies have started discussing the possibility of holding such camps in a couple of months time when the government will start easing certain restrictions. Of course, that would require guaranteeing the health and safety of all the players and coaches, which means all the relevant medical tests would take place before the champs start. But these camps cannot be for a large number of people, they must be held only for the Olympic core group so that isolation in some form can be practised. The NRAI is definitely looking at the possibility of organising such a camp. DSD: My worry is that by announcing a team now we may not send the best, inf-form shooters to the Olympics, we have seen the folly of sending a pre-decided team earlier to the Olympics in the past where shooters were not in-form... Suma Shirur: I feel we cannot just assume that the international competitions will take place this season. We can't keep waiting for the situation to improve or the crisis to boil over. There has to be at least one plan in place for Olympic preparation. Even if we have trials for the hopefuls next year close to the Games, is it going to be fair on those who haven't trained in the past few months? When they have already proven themselves to be top shooters in the past few years. With so much uncertainty across the world, it does not make sense to keep everyone waiting. In my opinion, it makes more sense to announce the team and protect the players, so that we ensure that they maintain their form ahead of the Olympics. DSD: Ahead of any Olympics, anyone who follows a particular sport has a certain idea about the group of players who are in the mix to win a medal, but because of the lack of preparation going into the 2021 Olympics, do you think we will see a completely different set of medalists? Suma Shirur: Yes that certainly is possible. But like I said before we will ensure that our top shooters are fully prepared for the 2021 games, and hopefully, those who we considered as medal contenders for the 2020 games will still get us medals in the 2021 games. As far as the junior shooters are concerned, this might be a blessing in disguise for them because it gives them the opportunity to work on certain aspects of their game and improve their chances of a podium finish. The challenge is to ensure that all the shooters are motivated and in the right frame of mind during the crisis. Innovation is the key to finding solutions to deal with this unprecedented situation. It's not only us Indians who are suffering, but the entire world is going through this pandemic. We hope to stay one step ahead with all the plans that we have in place.

Exclusive: 'Young team needs to be guided in right direction' - Suma Shirur opens up on preparations during lockdown, Tokyo Olympics, and more

With COVID-19 pandemic wiping off the sporting calendar, players have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to remain fit for the resumption of season, whenever it happens. Football is one of the sports to have taken a major hit financially with clubs struggling to cope up with the losses incurred due to the postponement of leagues and tournaments. Also, there has been a lot of talks surrounding some of the footballing bodies wanting to resume their respective leagues and cup competitions.&nbsp;

Ace Indian footballer and the recipient of Padma Shri, Sunil Chhetri, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the world of football, the fall of transfer prices post coronavirus crisis, the idea of playing football leagues with domestic players only, life in lockdown and much more...

Digvijay Singh Deo: Sunil, I must begin by saying that it is heartening to note that all our top sports stars have not lost their sense of humour in these difficult times. Your coach at Bengaluru FC tried to pull a gag on you involving Andres Iniesta the other day and you sort of handled it very well.

Sunil Chhetri: I think being a sportsperson, you have to think on your feet, be quick and witty, so we're just trying to keep our spirits up. We're just trying to stay calm and I think it's important to be able to to enjoy the little things in life during these times. On a serious note, we need to engage and keep everyone motivated during the crisis.

DSD: How has this period been for you?&nbsp;Mentally how can you remain switched on with life indoors especially as leading an outdoor life is in your DNA as a footballer.

Sunil Chhetri:&nbsp;It&nbsp;is hard for all athletes across the world because we are used to being outdoors and training every day, that is in our DNA. But having said that, we are extremely fortunate that is not struggling for our essential services. There are so many people in India and across the world who do not have access to basic amenities. So we aren't struggling at all when you compare us to the daily wage earners or the migrant workers. Our pain and agony is nothing compared to their suffering. Yes, it is difficult to be indoors and not be able to train, but once life gets back to normal we will return to our daily routines. But at the moment there are bigger problems the world is facing. For me, I'm just trying to eat healthily and stay mentally and physically fit during the lockdown.

DSD: Lots of players across the world sharing videos and photos of their fitness sessions indoors, how are you managing to keep up the fitness levels?

Sunil Chhetri: My last game for Bengaluru FC in the Indian super league was on the 8th of February, that's when our season finished. Then on the international front, our World Cup qualifier against Qatar got postponed. I took 21 days off to recover from a hamstring problem. But it's been two weeks now that I have been working out. I do whatever is possible inside my house, these day's I've been concentrating on band workouts and cardio. Doing a lot of household work also helps to burn calories. The most important thing is to eat well, which I'm trying to do. Also, I'm not fiddling around with my sleep pattern. Sometimes what happens is when you're at home for an extended period of time, your eating and sleeping habits can get disturbed. I am observing my friends who are not athletes, they are following extremely irregular eating and sleeping patterns and binging on television shows, which is unhealthy. So I'm not trying to avoid that and not get into that vicious cycle.

DSD: There is a lot of concern now about the mental health of players, especially with anxiety and this uncertainty over when will you all get to play again hanging in the air. What role should clubs, national bodies and FIFA play in these times?

Sunil Chhetri: I think it is very important to stay calm in these times. My advice to players would be to do whatever they can to stay physically fit with the resources they have, that goes a long way in maintaining mental health. I know people are keeping busy at home, but if they can take out some time every day to work on their body, it will help maintain your sanity. We have never seen these times before, so people are finding it challenging to deal with the situation. There might be a verbal squabble at home or people might go through mood swings. We have to keep ourselves occupied or do activities that we like, that will help us stay calm.

Meditation is also something that can assist in your mental well being. As far as the national and international federations are concerned, even they are trying to gauge the gravity of the situation. The prime objective for the entire world night now is to overcome this virus. Sport will only return once life gets back to normal, only then will FIFA and the other sporting bodies have a concrete answer to the way forward after the crisis. As far as the pay cuts go, it is very said that people have to forego their hard-earned money, but you have to look at it on a case-to-case basis, so it would be unfair for me to comment on it.

<img alt="Exclusive | Sunil Chhetri in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f013b3ec-2419-454c-8382-f49ca50ec43f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1LE8KI.jpg" />

DSD: As captain of India you must be in touch with players from across clubs and leagues, how tough is it for the Indian footballing ecosystem at the moment.

Sunil Chhetri: The younger players who have just started their careers in the lower divisions are obviously going to suffer. All of us who are more fortunate have tried to donate as much as we can to the prime minister's fund. I spoke to my India team-mate Sandesh Jhingan and he told me that all of the senior players are contributing to the state funds and trying to figure out a way in which they can help those in need. I think all the top athletes in the country are financially secure, but the young ones, who haven't yet made a name for themselves might suffer if this crisis continues for a while. If anything the top athletes might find it difficult to cope with the situation mentally. For athletes like me who are more than 30 years of age, even a break of a few months can have a long term effect on your career, since the lifespan of a sportsperson is short. So that's a slight concern for me. But financially, the daily wage earners are the ones who are suffering, so the whole country should unite and help them out.

DSD: Obviously Indian football does not have the big budgets of the European leagues and the ISL season was completed and the AIFF has named Mohun Bagan as I league champions as well so what will the impact be on Indian football?

Sunil Chhetri: The Indian football calendar is definitely going to be affected. We have to wait for the nod of the Indian government to start planning the season and matches. And our sport brings everyone together, so you have 30 or 40,000 people in a stadium at one point. So the decision has to deliberated&nbsp;upon at length and various factors have to be taken into consideration. I hope we reach a situation where we can at least plan the calendar, but until then we just have to play the waiting game and be patient. All the Indian football authorities have nothing to work with at the moment in terms of schedule because the government go-ahead has not been given. Whenever we do return, I think it's going to be a herculean task to accommodate all the fixtures of the new season. The season will either need to be truncated or stretched out. The AFC and FIFA are also going to have their own continental calendars, so it will be very difficult to work our way around the congestion.

DSD: Staying with Indian football this could be a good opportunity to test national coach Igor Stimac's view that the number of foreign players should be restricted in the league. The way things stand it does look like there will be reduced budgets for sure next season.

Sunil Chhetri:&nbsp;If the case is that foreigners would not be allowed to travel to India for the foreseeable future because of the travel restrictions, then we can play more Indians in our leagues. Although I still believe that training with top-class foreign players lends to your growth as a player. But if foreigners are not allowed to enter the country, then why not give the Indian players more game time?

<img alt="Exclusive | Sunil Chhetri in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89031642-786a-4386-b3e5-5f4db43d705a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_15M0LA.jpg" />

DSD: We have seen the Olympics cancelled, the Euros cancelled as well. Has coronavirus burst the artificial bubble of football?

Sunil Chhetri:&nbsp;It&nbsp;might take a temporary hit because the entire ecosystem of the financial world has been affected, but sooner or later that bubble will return. The bubble exists because the teams with more money will always be after the best players and will be willing to splash the cash on them. For there to be a real long term change in the way that the top clubs function, all the teams have to agree not to spend more than a particular amount on a player, which is not going to happen. So I think that there will be a massive reduction in expenditure when it comes to world football, but it will only be temporary. The football market is no different from the world market, there is natural growth over the years. In 2009, Real Madrid broke the transfer record to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in an 80 million Euro deal and in 2017 PSG broke the record again with a 200 million Euro Neymar deal. That doesn't mean that Neymar is a better footballer than Ronaldo, it is just how markets function over a period of time.

DSD: An example probably is the 140 million-plus sale of Phillipe&nbsp;Coutinho and now there is talk of Barcelona taking a 66 million Pound hit and sell him to Chelsea. Now he is a full Brazilian international and the joke here is actually on Barcelona and not an indictment of Coutinho. For too long the big clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, Bayern, PSG have splashed out big sums to buy players from smaller teams and do you now see this astronomical fees falling?

Sunil Chhetri: I feel only the price of the players will go down, but the big clubs are still going to buy the top names. Everyone is going to lose money from their kitty, it's not as if only Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will suffer financially, so will the lesser clubs across the world. The clubs' spending power will decrease, but since every club is losing money, the big wigs will still retain their market power. It's just how business works. There will only be a level playing field if all clubs agree not to spend more than a particular amount regardless of revenue or sponsorship income, and that amount is the same for all teams in the league. Even in the NBA where they have salary caps and many rules to try to maintain a level playing field, the big teams find loopholes in the laws to retain their power. That way they are always able to attract the best players. So I think overall, the balance of power will remain the same in the world of football.

DSD: Most leagues in Europe are suspended, there is talk that the Champions League final could be played in August. How difficult will it be for clubs to get their players up to full fitness after what could end up as a two to three-month break?

Sunil Chhetri:&nbsp;It is going to be extremely difficult for players to regain their fitness in such a short span of time if that is the case. I know the players are working out at home with whatever equipment they can, but working out and training on the pitch, spending time with your team-mates is a completely different ball game. Even when the players are allowed to come out and train, they will require a certain amount of time to prepare for the season, both physically and mentally. Also, it is important for the footballers to avoid injuries, so you cannot jump into competitive matches after spending two or three months at home. The players shouldn't be forced into playing matches just because a particular competition needs to be finished in a certain span of time, it is unfair on the footballers and increases the risk of injuries.

So if the season will return in the first few weeks of August, that means players would need to be back in training by end June. At the moment, I don't see any country in Europe allowing players to be out on the pitch in June. The FIFA president also warned against starting leagues prematurely because that could lead to more people getting infected with COVID-19, which would be a massive disaster. As a football fan, I want to be optimistic about things, I want the premier league and champions league to be back. Also, the more you delay the resumption of this season, the more the 20-21 campaign gets pushed. So I don't know how the challenge is going to be dealt with. But I repeat, until we overcome this coronavirus crisis, there can be no concrete plan in place for the footballing calendar.

DSD: A&nbsp;British medical expert has recommended that players must wear masks during training as well as matches once football resumes. Is it even possible or comfortable and not restrictive?

Sunil Chhetri: It doesn't look impossible, but I haven't tried it so I cannot say for certain. But if the worry is that the infection will be passed on to the other player on the pitch, then we have to be cautious about other aspects of a match as well. We spend so much time with players in the dressing rooms, use the same washrooms, hotels and have meals together. So all these things have to be looked at before we resume matches. Also in a sporting environment, if any person has it, the chances of the disease spreading quickly are very high, especially because football is a contact sport.

DSD: Already it is being estimated that the financial loss to the big leagues in Europe will be close to 4 billion Euros if seasons do not resume as sponsorship money, tv rights all etc then fall off the cliff.belgium has called off, Dutch league is about to be called off. It is a tightrope isn’t it, money or health?

Sunil Chhetri:&nbsp;We have to prioritise our health, that is the simple answer. Every well-meaning individual will do that. I 'm not sure how much money the leagues will lose over the course of the time, but whatever the amount is can be recovered. But if we are irresponsible or complacent of resuming action earlier than required and people's health is affected because of that, it will be a catastrophe. I'm sure we stand to lose massive amounts of money over the course of the next few months, but if we remain healthy we still stand a chance of recovering that amount in the next few years. Health must be the priority.

<img alt="Exclusive | Sunil Chhetri in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5eb0ef28-72eb-41d3-9fcc-4fa222fc93c9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_VX0G8.jpg" />

DSD: Should football resume behind closed doors as is being predicted? We&nbsp;had the ISL final being played behind closed doors.

Sunil Chhetri: when a top-level team trains, there are about 50-60 people at the ground at a particular time. If the season resumes behind closed doors, we will still have to train every day and go about our preparation as we normally do. That would require a large number of people to come in contact every day and constant monitoring will need to take place, those 50 or 60 people will also go back their families at home and the risk of spreading the virus is still present. Just because there are 30,000 or 40,000 people in a stadium, we think we will be safer in relative terms if we have matches behind closed doors. But the fact is that even if the season resumes, there will be a constant threat to the people involved in the matches, and that is not just the players and coaches. I think it will be better if we wait for the whole crisis to subside and then make a decision because we don't want to put lives at risk. In the best-case scenario, everything will get back to normal and fans will be able to watch us play.

DSD: For you, what are the lessons that we should all take on-board from this period of great strife?

Sunil Chhetri: I think we have to be more compassionate towards other people, especially people like us who are so privileged, we must also consider the need of others. We are all so consumed in the chase for material things, that every decision we make is a selfish one. We have to give back more because there are people who are struggling for their next meal. I have realised that I am in a privileged position because of the hard work of so many people around me. So I have realised that I can easily help those around me more. I feel it is unfair that I am so comfortable and there are people who do not know where their next meal will come from. I feel it's not right. I'm not trying to preach, I'm just speaking from a personal point of view. I have realised that I could have made more of a contribution in the last ten years. I was helping people, but maybe I was doing that just give myself satisfaction. But now I will strive to make more of a contribution in making the lives of others around me better. That is one thing I hope stays with me from this COVID-19 crisis.

With COVID-19 pandemic wiping off the sporting calendar, players have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to remain fit for the resumption of season, whenever it happens.

With COVID-19 pandemic wiping off the sporting calendar, players have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to remain fit for the resumption of season, whenever it happens. Football is one of the sports to have taken a major hit financially with clubs struggling to cope up with the losses incurred due to the postponement of leagues and tournaments. Also, there has been a lot of talks surrounding some of the footballing bodies wanting to resume their respective leagues and cup competitions. Ace Indian footballer and the recipient of Padma Shri, Sunil Chhetri, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the world of football, the fall of transfer prices post coronavirus crisis, the idea of playing football leagues with domestic players only, life in lockdown and much more... Digvijay Singh Deo: Sunil, I must begin by saying that it is heartening to note that all our top sports stars have not lost their sense of humour in these difficult times. Your coach at Bengaluru FC tried to pull a gag on you involving Andres Iniesta the other day and you sort of handled it very well. Sunil Chhetri: I think being a sportsperson, you have to think on your feet, be quick and witty, so we're just trying to keep our spirits up. We're just trying to stay calm and I think it's important to be able to to enjoy the little things in life during these times. On a serious note, we need to engage and keep everyone motivated during the crisis. DSD: How has this period been for you? Mentally how can you remain switched on with life indoors especially as leading an outdoor life is in your DNA as a footballer. Sunil Chhetri: It is hard for all athletes across the world because we are used to being outdoors and training every day, that is in our DNA. But having said that, we are extremely fortunate that is not struggling for our essential services. There are so many people in India and across the world who do not have access to basic amenities. So we aren't struggling at all when you compare us to the daily wage earners or the migrant workers. Our pain and agony is nothing compared to their suffering. Yes, it is difficult to be indoors and not be able to train, but once life gets back to normal we will return to our daily routines. But at the moment there are bigger problems the world is facing. For me, I'm just trying to eat healthily and stay mentally and physically fit during the lockdown. DSD: Lots of players across the world sharing videos and photos of their fitness sessions indoors, how are you managing to keep up the fitness levels? Sunil Chhetri: My last game for Bengaluru FC in the Indian super league was on the 8th of February, that's when our season finished. Then on the international front, our World Cup qualifier against Qatar got postponed. I took 21 days off to recover from a hamstring problem. But it's been two weeks now that I have been working out. I do whatever is possible inside my house, these day's I've been concentrating on band workouts and cardio. Doing a lot of household work also helps to burn calories. The most important thing is to eat well, which I'm trying to do. Also, I'm not fiddling around with my sleep pattern. Sometimes what happens is when you're at home for an extended period of time, your eating and sleeping habits can get disturbed. I am observing my friends who are not athletes, they are following extremely irregular eating and sleeping patterns and binging on television shows, which is unhealthy. So I'm not trying to avoid that and not get into that vicious cycle. DSD: There is a lot of concern now about the mental health of players, especially with anxiety and this uncertainty over when will you all get to play again hanging in the air. What role should clubs, national bodies and FIFA play in these times? Sunil Chhetri: I think it is very important to stay calm in these times. My advice to players would be to do whatever they can to stay physically fit with the resources they have, that goes a long way in maintaining mental health. I know people are keeping busy at home, but if they can take out some time every day to work on their body, it will help maintain your sanity. We have never seen these times before, so people are finding it challenging to deal with the situation. There might be a verbal squabble at home or people might go through mood swings. We have to keep ourselves occupied or do activities that we like, that will help us stay calm. Meditation is also something that can assist in your mental well being. As far as the national and international federations are concerned, even they are trying to gauge the gravity of the situation. The prime objective for the entire world night now is to overcome this virus. Sport will only return once life gets back to normal, only then will FIFA and the other sporting bodies have a concrete answer to the way forward after the crisis. As far as the pay cuts go, it is very said that people have to forego their hard-earned money, but you have to look at it on a case-to-case basis, so it would be unfair for me to comment on it. DSD: As captain of India you must be in touch with players from across clubs and leagues, how tough is it for the Indian footballing ecosystem at the moment. Sunil Chhetri: The younger players who have just started their careers in the lower divisions are obviously going to suffer. All of us who are more fortunate have tried to donate as much as we can to the prime minister's fund. I spoke to my India team-mate Sandesh Jhingan and he told me that all of the senior players are contributing to the state funds and trying to figure out a way in which they can help those in need. I think all the top athletes in the country are financially secure, but the young ones, who haven't yet made a name for themselves might suffer if this crisis continues for a while. If anything the top athletes might find it difficult to cope with the situation mentally. For athletes like me who are more than 30 years of age, even a break of a few months can have a long term effect on your career, since the lifespan of a sportsperson is short. So that's a slight concern for me. But financially, the daily wage earners are the ones who are suffering, so the whole country should unite and help them out. DSD: Obviously Indian football does not have the big budgets of the European leagues and the ISL season was completed and the AIFF has named Mohun Bagan as I league champions as well so what will the impact be on Indian football? Sunil Chhetri: The Indian football calendar is definitely going to be affected. We have to wait for the nod of the Indian government to start planning the season and matches. And our sport brings everyone together, so you have 30 or 40,000 people in a stadium at one point. So the decision has to deliberated upon at length and various factors have to be taken into consideration. I hope we reach a situation where we can at least plan the calendar, but until then we just have to play the waiting game and be patient. All the Indian football authorities have nothing to work with at the moment in terms of schedule because the government go-ahead has not been given. Whenever we do return, I think it's going to be a herculean task to accommodate all the fixtures of the new season. The season will either need to be truncated or stretched out. The AFC and FIFA are also going to have their own continental calendars, so it will be very difficult to work our way around the congestion. DSD: Staying with Indian football this could be a good opportunity to test national coach Igor Stimac's view that the number of foreign players should be restricted in the league. The way things stand it does look like there will be reduced budgets for sure next season. Sunil Chhetri: If the case is that foreigners would not be allowed to travel to India for the foreseeable future because of the travel restrictions, then we can play more Indians in our leagues. Although I still believe that training with top-class foreign players lends to your growth as a player. But if foreigners are not allowed to enter the country, then why not give the Indian players more game time? DSD: We have seen the Olympics cancelled, the Euros cancelled as well. Has coronavirus burst the artificial bubble of football? Sunil Chhetri: It might take a temporary hit because the entire ecosystem of the financial world has been affected, but sooner or later that bubble will return. The bubble exists because the teams with more money will always be after the best players and will be willing to splash the cash on them. For there to be a real long term change in the way that the top clubs function, all the teams have to agree not to spend more than a particular amount on a player, which is not going to happen. So I think that there will be a massive reduction in expenditure when it comes to world football, but it will only be temporary. The football market is no different from the world market, there is natural growth over the years. In 2009, Real Madrid broke the transfer record to sign Cristiano Ronaldo in an 80 million Euro deal and in 2017 PSG broke the record again with a 200 million Euro Neymar deal. That doesn't mean that Neymar is a better footballer than Ronaldo, it is just how markets function over a period of time. DSD: An example probably is the 140 million-plus sale of Phillipe Coutinho and now there is talk of Barcelona taking a 66 million Pound hit and sell him to Chelsea. Now he is a full Brazilian international and the joke here is actually on Barcelona and not an indictment of Coutinho. For too long the big clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, Bayern, PSG have splashed out big sums to buy players from smaller teams and do you now see this astronomical fees falling? Sunil Chhetri: I feel only the price of the players will go down, but the big clubs are still going to buy the top names. Everyone is going to lose money from their kitty, it's not as if only Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid will suffer financially, so will the lesser clubs across the world. The clubs' spending power will decrease, but since every club is losing money, the big wigs will still retain their market power. It's just how business works. There will only be a level playing field if all clubs agree not to spend more than a particular amount regardless of revenue or sponsorship income, and that amount is the same for all teams in the league. Even in the NBA where they have salary caps and many rules to try to maintain a level playing field, the big teams find loopholes in the laws to retain their power. That way they are always able to attract the best players. So I think overall, the balance of power will remain the same in the world of football. DSD: Most leagues in Europe are suspended, there is talk that the Champions League final could be played in August. How difficult will it be for clubs to get their players up to full fitness after what could end up as a two to three-month break? Sunil Chhetri: It is going to be extremely difficult for players to regain their fitness in such a short span of time if that is the case. I know the players are working out at home with whatever equipment they can, but working out and training on the pitch, spending time with your team-mates is a completely different ball game. Even when the players are allowed to come out and train, they will require a certain amount of time to prepare for the season, both physically and mentally. Also, it is important for the footballers to avoid injuries, so you cannot jump into competitive matches after spending two or three months at home. The players shouldn't be forced into playing matches just because a particular competition needs to be finished in a certain span of time, it is unfair on the footballers and increases the risk of injuries. So if the season will return in the first few weeks of August, that means players would need to be back in training by end June. At the moment, I don't see any country in Europe allowing players to be out on the pitch in June. The FIFA president also warned against starting leagues prematurely because that could lead to more people getting infected with COVID-19, which would be a massive disaster. As a football fan, I want to be optimistic about things, I want the premier league and champions league to be back. Also, the more you delay the resumption of this season, the more the 20-21 campaign gets pushed. So I don't know how the challenge is going to be dealt with. But I repeat, until we overcome this coronavirus crisis, there can be no concrete plan in place for the footballing calendar. DSD: A British medical expert has recommended that players must wear masks during training as well as matches once football resumes. Is it even possible or comfortable and not restrictive? Sunil Chhetri: It doesn't look impossible, but I haven't tried it so I cannot say for certain. But if the worry is that the infection will be passed on to the other player on the pitch, then we have to be cautious about other aspects of a match as well. We spend so much time with players in the dressing rooms, use the same washrooms, hotels and have meals together. So all these things have to be looked at before we resume matches. Also in a sporting environment, if any person has it, the chances of the disease spreading quickly are very high, especially because football is a contact sport. DSD: Already it is being estimated that the financial loss to the big leagues in Europe will be close to 4 billion Euros if seasons do not resume as sponsorship money, tv rights all etc then fall off the cliff.belgium has called off, Dutch league is about to be called off. It is a tightrope isn’t it, money or health? Sunil Chhetri: We have to prioritise our health, that is the simple answer. Every well-meaning individual will do that. I 'm not sure how much money the leagues will lose over the course of the time, but whatever the amount is can be recovered. But if we are irresponsible or complacent of resuming action earlier than required and people's health is affected because of that, it will be a catastrophe. I'm sure we stand to lose massive amounts of money over the course of the next few months, but if we remain healthy we still stand a chance of recovering that amount in the next few years. Health must be the priority. DSD: Should football resume behind closed doors as is being predicted? We had the ISL final being played behind closed doors. Sunil Chhetri: when a top-level team trains, there are about 50-60 people at the ground at a particular time. If the season resumes behind closed doors, we will still have to train every day and go about our preparation as we normally do. That would require a large number of people to come in contact every day and constant monitoring will need to take place, those 50 or 60 people will also go back their families at home and the risk of spreading the virus is still present. Just because there are 30,000 or 40,000 people in a stadium, we think we will be safer in relative terms if we have matches behind closed doors. But the fact is that even if the season resumes, there will be a constant threat to the people involved in the matches, and that is not just the players and coaches. I think it will be better if we wait for the whole crisis to subside and then make a decision because we don't want to put lives at risk. In the best-case scenario, everything will get back to normal and fans will be able to watch us play. DSD: For you, what are the lessons that we should all take on-board from this period of great strife? Sunil Chhetri: I think we have to be more compassionate towards other people, especially people like us who are so privileged, we must also consider the need of others. We are all so consumed in the chase for material things, that every decision we make is a selfish one. We have to give back more because there are people who are struggling for their next meal. I have realised that I am in a privileged position because of the hard work of so many people around me. So I have realised that I can easily help those around me more. I feel it is unfair that I am so comfortable and there are people who do not know where their next meal will come from. I feel it's not right. I'm not trying to preach, I'm just speaking from a personal point of view. I have realised that I could have made more of a contribution in the last ten years. I was helping people, but maybe I was doing that just give myself satisfaction. But now I will strive to make more of a contribution in making the lives of others around me better. That is one thing I hope stays with me from this COVID-19 crisis.

Exclusive: 'Better to wait for whole crisis to subside' - Sunil Chhetri opens up on resumption of sports, football post COVID-19, and much more

Following India's phenomenal run in the recently concluded ICC Women's T20 World Cup, women's cricket was looking at an unprecedented rise in popularity and craze.

Following India's phenomenal run in the recently concluded ICC Women's T20 World Cup, women's cricket was looking at an unprecedented rise in popularity and craze. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have wiped out the entire sporting calendar. Sportspersons have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to keep themselves fit with absolutely no live sporting action happening, at the moment. Ace Indian batswoman, Smriti Mandhana, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on her love for batting, life in lockdown, rapport with Jemimah Rodrigues, bucket list as Red Bull athlete, experience in Women's T20 World Cup and more. × Digvijay Singh Deo: Smriti, welcome to the show. I must start by asking you about the campaign I saw a few days ago the Team Mask Force. That campaign also had the who’s who of Indian cricket with Sachin, Sourav, Rahul joining the current team. It is also an indication of how much the stock of the Women’s team has risen in recent years to find you, Mithali and Harmanpreet there. Five years back this wasn’t possible. Smriti: Yes, there has been a massive growth in women's cricket in the country, especially after the 2017 ODI World Cup. Regarding the campaign, I think it is necessary to motivate the citizens to do something to wear a mask in the current climate. I'm delighted to be part of such an initiative undertaken by the government. I had no idea that legends of the game, like Sachin Tendulkar, would be a part of the campaign. So it's special to be involved in something like this. Five years ago, we probably wouldn't have been able to share any stage with our male counterparts, but it just shows how much the game has grown in India. Members of our team are recognizable faces and I think women's cricket in India is going through a good phase. DSD: So talking of mask warriors how has this last one month been for you. What has the schedule been like? I did read that you are playing online Ludo with your teammates. Smriti: After the T20 World Cup in March, we were supposed to take a two-week break after a long season, it was a very busy schedule in the previous six months. But who would have thought that the two-week break would extend into a full-fledged lockdown for months. I think now since we have been at home for a while, all of us have found different ways of entertaining ourselves. Ludo is something we enjoy playing because we can also talk to each other while the game is on. So it's also a good way to keep in touch with each other. But the last ten days, Jemimah Rodrigues and I have been doing a show called 'double trouble', so that has kept me busy and it feels good to be finally doing something constructive during the lockdown. I was getting bored sitting at home and not being able to do much. DSD: You share a great rapport with Jemima Rodrigues. Like you, she is another young prodigy who is finding her feet at the top level. What sort of camaraderie do you share and tell me a bit more about this show? Smriti: Jemimah and I share a great bond. We didn't know each other before Jemimah came into the team about two years back, but we were roommates for the first 4 or 5 months and we really hit it off. We share a lot of memories, both on and off the pitch. So one day we were just reminiscing about the times we have spent together and thought it would be a good idea to make a fun show. I don't think we've had a show like this where active athletes discuss things in a candid manner. Since we keep troubling each other, we thought it would be apt to call the show 'double trouble'. DSD: Through this lockdown period we have seen the greats of modern-day sport come up with challenges for their fans, be it Roger Federer or the 100-volley challenge by Andy Murray and Kim Sears. How important is it for you to engage with fans in these times? Smriti: Yes, fans usually are only able to see one side of us athletes. But if we interact and engage with them through social media, they will be able to get a glimpse of how we spend time off the field. So hopefully with the show, we can entertain the fans with our stories and anecdotes than viewers can relate to. We will have fellow athletes as guests as well, so it should be something that everyone will enjoy. View this post on Instagram Was just practicing social distancing P.S: Waise aur option bhi kya hai A post shared by Smriti Mandhana (@smriti_mandhana) on Apr 7, 2020 at 4:36am PDT × DSD: Now you are a Red Bull athlete as well. One of the hallmarks of a Red Bull athlete is to constantly challenge the odds...So does Smriti Mandhana have a bucket list, cliff diving, jumping out of a plane, perhaps even off-roading. Smriti: Unfortunately in our BCCI contracts, we have a clause which does not allow us to take part in any extreme sport. But there is a lot of work that red bull does with formula one. I would love to be part of any F1 event since I love motorsport. Red bull has a state of the art performance centre and so many top athletes across sports are associated with them. So even if I just get the opportunity to interact with any of the sportspersons, it would be a great learning experience for me. Till I'm playing cricket for India, I'm not sure if I'll be able to skydive from a plane. View this post on Instagram Happiness is contagious#goodvibes A post shared by Smriti Mandhana (@smriti_mandhana) on Feb 8, 2020 at 4:09am PST × DSD: I love the way you go about your cricket, you play fearlessly if the ball is there to be hit you hit it. Describe your mental approach to an innings. Smriti: I like to keep things very simple. In the past when I've tried to overthink my strategy, it has never worked. So an over-analytical approach for the game has never helped me perform well. I treat every delivery with the merit it deserves and has enough confidence in my ability to deal with the challenge. The mental preparation for me is just to keep my eyes on the ball and play accordingly, that is when I feel best about my batting. If the day comes when I feel that this approach is not paying dividends, then I will tweak my preparation, but at the moment I am comfortable with my process and don't want to unnecessarily overthink it. If the ball is in the slot and meant to be hit, then I strike it. It's as simple as that. DSD: The dramatic explosion of the coronavirus sort of made us forget the T20 World Cup very fast. Have you managed to overcome the hurt of falling at the final hurdle? Smriti: The final loss really hurt us a lot as a team. Especially because it was a huge match and we lost the chance of picking up a trophy. But now I have tried to move on from that defeat. I have to look at it from the perspective of a learning experience. Over the last few years, we have lost a few big matches, including the 2017 world cup final. But you cannot dwell on the past, I must look towards the future in figure out ways in which I can improve and help the team. So my goal is to improve aspects of my game and be ready for the next tournament. DSD: What does a loss like this teach a team, the good teams always rebound from tough defeats. Pankaj Advani our 23-time World Champion said something very pertinent to me some time back that sport gives you second chances, life as we are seeing right now does not. Smriti: Failure is a better teacher than success. You can learn more from a bad patch of form than a big score. After the final, none of us spoke much to each other, all of us were dealing with the disappointment in our own space. As a team, the defeat especially hurt because we weren't able to put up a fight. So hopefully we can learn from the match, and go one better in a world cup final next time. DSD: What we are seeing with the women’s team though is the emergence of a young bunch of players who hopefully will be together for a long time. Is that the missing piece of the jigsaw Smriti; the nucleus is there, we just have to be patient. Smriti: Our average age is just 23 and that is something to be proud of. I think we were one of the youngest teams in the tournament and our performances throughout the campaign, barring the final, were excellent. I think if these teams sticks together for the next 3-4 years, the sky is the limit for us. The talent is definitely present and if we are able to work hard and learn from our mistakes, then we will undoubtedly win major tournaments. DSD: Now one thing a lot of us were looking forward to was the Women’s T20 Challenge on the sidelines of the IPL. Sadly, the IPL has been indefinitely postponed but this must have been fun of playing a televised tournament alongside the IPL. Smriti: We had a two-team challenge tournament in 2018, and last year it increased to three teams. The final last year in Jaipur drew a packed crowd, so the game is moving the right direction. This year I was really excited because the tournament was supposed to be a four-team affair, but unfortunately, it can't take place. I think we are not yet ready for an eight-team Women's IPL, but there is potential for a 4-6 team to participate in an event. I'm confident that whenever we reach that stage of hosting a Women's IPL, it is going to be a huge push for women's cricket in India. It will also help our team to prepare for big events like the world cup. I'm sure the BCCI has a long term plan in mind for the Women's IPL and they won't be rushed into a decision. View this post on Instagram After batting for 5 hours wondering when will I get to bat next . . Thanks for the trendy helmet @redbullindia ;) A post shared by Smriti Mandhana (@smriti_mandhana) on Jun 17, 2019 at 8:40pm PDT × DSD: What has been the most important cricketing advice that was given to you by someone you look up to. Smriti: After the 2017 ODI World Cup, I had a bad run of 17 matches where I didn't score big runs. I was obviously worried about my form and was a bit hassled. At that time, my parents reminded me of the time when I used to play cricket purely for the joy of the game when I was a kid. They told me to think about that time and try to ignore all the external pressures of being an international cricketer. I think enjoying the game is very important and I have tried to do that over the past few years, regardless of my performance. That piece of advice has taken a bit of the burden of my shoulders and given me a bit more freedom. There was a time I could not walk for three months because of an injury, so I cherish the fact that I am able to play cricket for a living. DSD: I want to end this interview on an optimistic note so what is the one thing you want to do when this lockdown ends? Smriti: Batting. It is something that gives me a lot of joy. It's just not a sport for me, it is what I live for. The feeling I get when I strike a ball sweetly is like no other. Nothing else can give me the feeling of holding the bat and walking out to play. So that's the first thing I would like to do once this crisis dies down. But I realise the gravity of the prevailing situation and I hope we can overcome this pandemic as soon as possible.

Exclusive: 'Cricket is just not a sport for me, it is what I live for' - Smriti Mandhana opens up on her love for the game, rapport with Jemimah and much more

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to the clean-sweep of the entire sporting calendar but the dreaded virus has also forced the athletes to train indoors with almost the entire world currently under lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Sportspersons, who are usually on the road amid their extremely hectic schedules, are taking this phase to reflect on their respective careers, life, training regimes, etc.&nbsp;

Indian badminton player and a five-time Commonwealth Games medallist, Ashwini Ponnappa, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from life in lockdown, indoor training routine, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, special bonding with Sikki Reddy, and much more.

Digvijay Singh Deo: I did tell Ashwini that I was extremely envious of her for managing to keep up a punishing fitness regime all through this lockdown and I must commend you for finding a way.

Ashwini: I think badminton players can work on some aspects of their game even when they are at home, this could be wall practice or racket shadowing. I have a small apartment, but you don't need much space to work on some aspects of your game. Fortunately, my husband can also play a little bit, so I play with him sometimes. But otherwise, I'm just trying to not lose touch with the sport.

DSD:&nbsp;Is it frustrating, being in lockdown? Because you've been stuck since returning from all the All England Championships in early March?

Ashwini:&nbsp;To be honest, when we went to Birmingham for the tournament, at that time we weren't really sure about the situation. A few players from India had dropped out because of the health concerns. But a lot of the other top players were there, so that made us wonder if the threat of the COVID-19 virus was really that dangerous. But by the time of the tournament, a few countries in Europe had started nationwide lockdowns, so the situation was escalating. After All England, we were scheduled to play one more tournament in Switzerland, but after a discussion with our coach Pullela Gopichand, we decided it was best to not play and get back to India as soon as possible. Luckily, the badminton association of India were really helpful and we were able to reach India just a few days before the travel restrictions were imposed.

DSD: In hindsight did you make the right call to go to All England despite the pandemic raging by then?

Ashwini: I think if we had known the gravity of the situation at the time, then we would have definitely wanted the All England tournament to be called off. But there was no way to predict back then how quickly things would escalate. So at the time, I think the players took the right call to go to the event because as I said before, all the other top shuttlers were there as well. It is also hard to voluntarily skip a tournament if the badminton world federation is going ahead with it. But I'm glad that the BWF took the right call to suspend all subsequent tournaments because it would have been impossible for players to compete in the current climate.

DSD: I must say your Twitter feed makes for some excellent reading. How many pets do you have at home?

Ashwini: The two dogs that we currently have at home- Jazz and Lola - are actually my in-laws' pets. But as soon as my husband found out that I'm returning home, he got the dogs to the house and I'm delighted he did that. They are so lively and have been a breath of fresh air in our lives. They fill our house with energy and just instil so much positivity into us. We are also showered with love from our two dogs. So overall being locked in with them is a lot of fun.

DSD: It is nice to see the other, lighter side of the badminton players during the lockdown because usually all of you wouldn't get to spend so much time at home...

Ashwini: Yes, that's true. I'm travelling so often that I hardly get so spend time at my house in Bengaluru. And when I'm in Hyderabad, my life revolves around my training, I spend most of the day on the court. But now. During the lockdown we are living a fantasy life of sorts, my husband and I are able to spend quality time with our dogs, which wouldn't be possible if we weren't in lockdown.

<img alt="Exclusive | Ashwini Ponappa in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3e138b5d-90ed-4b64-ae7b-f6913affb8a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1496302174-ashwini-ponnappa-517-fb.jpg" />

DSD: You have raised your voice against the treatment of animals in the past and now the roles have reversed Ashwini...lots of videos of animals freely roaming around and all of us are locked up.

Ashwini: It's so strange to see these things. But I feel like nature has a way of balancing itself out and I believe everything happens for a reason. It must be the first time in years that the animals have the freedom to walk around in towns and cities. It's quite an eye-opener, but also nice to see all the positive content while we're locked down because it is important to keep our spirits up.

DSD: You have previously raised your voice against animals being caged, now the roles have reversed during the lockdown, and awe are the ones who are unable to move freely...

Ashwini: It's quite ironic how things have changed. It's also a bit weird because it's not just our country, the entire world is suffering.hopefully after this crisis is over, people will be more understanding towards the plight of the animals. I have a feeling people's outlook towards a lot of things will change after this ordeal.

DSD: What for you has been the biggest piece of learning in these last 30 days or so.earlier before your marriage you used to stay alone in Hyderabad when training at national camp so you know how to manage on your own...

Ashwini: It's actually a welcome break for me, I have travelled a lot over the past few years. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had to represent my country, but sometimes you do feel like pressing the pause button. This forced lockdown has been a welcome break for me. I can sit back, relax and also have more control over my life. Nothing is pushing me at the moment and I can do things on my own terms. Sometimes when you're travelling and playing, life gets a bit monotonous and at times you're just going through the motions every day. So I feel like it's important to take a step back and realise why you started playing the sport in the first place, why you fell in love with the game. I like the fact that I am in charge of my routine. Whatever training I do, is purely because I want to do it. Sometimes when you're on tour, you lose track of why you do certain things because of the busy schedule.

<img alt="Exclusive | Ashwini Ponappa in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3d5007f7-d5ca-4140-9dcc-54c9a99200f0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ashwini-Ponappa-696x364.jpg" />

DSD: I was browsing through your Twitter feed and a lovely piece of skill was the home practice even as your husband in the background carried on with the TV viewing.

Ashwini: I think he was doing some work on his laptop at that point in time. When I'm doing my training, he'll usually do his work, both of us are making the best use of this time. I'm trying to unwind and relax, take a step back to reflect on things and add more purpose to my actions. Meanwhile, my husband reads a lot, he does research based on his assignments. So while he was doing his work, I continued to do my wall practice.

DSD: How essential it is to keep the skills sharp during this period because there is bound to be a period of rustiness when sport resumes at some point?

Ashwini: I think it's essential to be in touch with your skills. Anything you can do to work on your game will go a long way in helping you regain your touch when you're back on the court. So any training is better than no training. Wall practice improves my defence, which is very important for a doubles player. I use a hex ball for my wall practice and the good thing about that is I can also work on different strokes. The apartment that I live in right now is pretty small, so it becomes difficult to practice with a shuttle. My two dogs also love the shuttle, so it is tough to use it. But with the hex ball, I can practice a wide array of shots and you can do it at a slower pace when compared to the shuttle, which comes back faster. So I'm glad I bought the hex ball a while back and I'm putting it to good use now.

DSD: How are you and Sikki Reddy staying in touch?&nbsp;As doubles partners do you also usually spend time together to build up that understanding on-court?

Ashwini: We stay together when we're on tour and even go out for meals when we can. Before Sikki got married we used to live together as well, so we have spent a lot of time together and do have a special bond. But when we come back home, it is much more family-centric. We try to spend as much time with our respective families as possible because we are travelling so much throughout the year. Right now we're just keeping in touch through social media posts, if Sikki posts an interesting video, I comment on it and otherwise we talk about shows that we're watching.

DSD: What are you watching these days?

Ashwini: You'll be shocked to know that I have started watching Korean shows, I've really gotten into Korean drama shows and Sikki enjoys watching them too.

<img alt="Exclusive | Ashwini Ponappa in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32ff85ee-7d74-4d7b-9983-1d27d424002e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ponnappa-sikki-reddy-badminton-pti.jpg" />

DSD: How essential is it to have belief in a partnership after an underwhelming year? The results in 2019 weren’t very good and you had a lot of run in’s with top seeds very early on.

Ashwini: It&nbsp;is tough maintaining that belief, but if you see the matches that we lost last year in the first rounds, they were mostly against top five or top ten pairs. And they were all good contests, so that has only motivated us more to work harder and improve our performances. It is disappointing because we were in positions where we had our opponents on the ropes but weren't able to finish the job off. I was also struggling with a knee injury last year which also made it difficult to perform at the highest level. But it still gives us the satisfaction that we were competitive in most watches we played in. Sikki and I have been supportive of each other and hopefully, this year will bring much better results.

DSD: Someone like you who has won the big medals, obviously wants to keep herself motivated to perform at the highest level, is that why I saw a picture of notes being taken of matches...are you doing a post-mortem of what has been going wrong?

Ashwini: Absolutely, I feel like I've been working really hard and training a lot. So there's nothing lacking on those fronts. But there's obviously something that's missing from our performances. So as players I feel it is my responsibility to figure out why things aren't working out. Since we don't have video analysts of our own, I've been watching tapes of our matches and trying to observe if there is any pattern to our matches.so I've been trying to figure out a way of breaking everything down and making it easier for me to understand.

DSD: You were part of the Indian team for the last two Olympics. This time do you think the postponement of Tokyo Games is going to work out in your favour?

Ashwini: I'm not sure if that will be the case. This year initially, we still had a couple of months left for the Olympic qualification period for the 2020 games. No one really knows when things are going to resume and get back on track. I think it will only be fair if next year we are given that period again by the BWF to get out Olympic spots. But then again no one really knows how long the wait is going to be for the next tournament. We just have to play the waiting game at the moment.

DSD: As things stand, we have 15 months for the Olympics.what in your opinion should the qualifying criteria be.should it be a fresh start or should they just play the tournaments that were lost due to the suspension.

Ashwini: I think we should just play the tournaments that were lost because of the coronavirus pandemic because there was a lot of work put in by shuttlers for that one year of the qualification period that did take place. I think it would be unfair to start the process again even though it might be an advantage to some of us. The BWF, in my opinion, should just schedule the tournaments that were lost and I don't think there would be any complaints from the players. But like I said before, we do not know when the action will return.

DSD: You weren't that far behind in terms of the ranking cut off for the Olympics, you were 4000- 5000 points behind, that can be made up with a few quarter-finals runs in tournaments, so do you think if the qualification period starts again on 1st March 2021 and goes on till 30th April 2021, you will be able to get a good shot at qualification?

Ashwini: Yes, it would only be fair that we get that chance. I'm also confident that we will be able to achieve that because the last couple of Olympics we have been in similar scenarios and somehow managed to sneak our way with strong performances in the final few tournaments. So I think we still have a good chance of making the games even though we didn't have a good start. In the ideal situation, we would be in a much more comfortable situation, but I believe in fighting until the end because anything can happen in the last few months leading up to the games.

<img alt="Exclusive | Ashwini Ponappa in conversation with WION" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1c7b18ff-b322-4cfe-af75-2de6ef18078c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/ashwiniponappa-1574508427.jpg" />

DSD: There has been a lot of criticism of the BWF for the way they handled the pandemic. Has this period also exposed the leadership, in your sport?

Ashwini: I think they were a little late in the decisions they took, they could have definitely taken a stand for the players a bit earlier. Many of us players voiced our concerns, a lot of us continued to play in tournaments even though we were scared of the outbreak of the disease. If the BWF is holding tournaments, you feel as if it is your duty to participate in the events. But I'm glad that BWF eventually heard our voices and took a call to suspend the tournaments. It's never too late and luckily they made the announcement in just the nick of time before the situation got out of control. So, the BWF might not have taken a decision as early as other world federations, but I'm happy that eventually the right call was made.

DSD: How much are you in touch with the rest of the badminton circuit right now?&nbsp;Whatsapp, Skype, Google Hangouts or is this a welcome pause and just life on your own terms?

Ashwini: I think because of social media, we do not actually have to constantly be in touch with everyone to know what they're doing. A lot of players have been putting up motivational videos. You get an idea into how each athlete is trying to keep fit during these tough times, which is helpful. So in a way, all of us have been aiding each other through this crisis. Even a funny or light post can encourage you to become more active.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to the clean-sweep of the entire sporting calendar but the dreaded virus has also forced the athletes to train indoors with almost the entire world currently under lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only led to the clean-sweep of the entire sporting calendar but the dreaded virus has also forced the athletes to train indoors with almost the entire world currently under lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. Sportspersons, who are usually on the road amid their extremely hectic schedules, are taking this phase to reflect on their respective careers, life, training regimes, etc. Indian badminton player and a five-time Commonwealth Games medallist, Ashwini Ponnappa, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from life in lockdown, indoor training routine, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, special bonding with Sikki Reddy, and much more. Digvijay Singh Deo: I did tell Ashwini that I was extremely envious of her for managing to keep up a punishing fitness regime all through this lockdown and I must commend you for finding a way. Ashwini: I think badminton players can work on some aspects of their game even when they are at home, this could be wall practice or racket shadowing. I have a small apartment, but you don't need much space to work on some aspects of your game. Fortunately, my husband can also play a little bit, so I play with him sometimes. But otherwise, I'm just trying to not lose touch with the sport. DSD: Is it frustrating, being in lockdown? Because you've been stuck since returning from all the All England Championships in early March? Ashwini: To be honest, when we went to Birmingham for the tournament, at that time we weren't really sure about the situation. A few players from India had dropped out because of the health concerns. But a lot of the other top players were there, so that made us wonder if the threat of the COVID-19 virus was really that dangerous. But by the time of the tournament, a few countries in Europe had started nationwide lockdowns, so the situation was escalating. After All England, we were scheduled to play one more tournament in Switzerland, but after a discussion with our coach Pullela Gopichand, we decided it was best to not play and get back to India as soon as possible. Luckily, the badminton association of India were really helpful and we were able to reach India just a few days before the travel restrictions were imposed. DSD: In hindsight did you make the right call to go to All England despite the pandemic raging by then? Ashwini: I think if we had known the gravity of the situation at the time, then we would have definitely wanted the All England tournament to be called off. But there was no way to predict back then how quickly things would escalate. So at the time, I think the players took the right call to go to the event because as I said before, all the other top shuttlers were there as well. It is also hard to voluntarily skip a tournament if the badminton world federation is going ahead with it. But I'm glad that the BWF took the right call to suspend all subsequent tournaments because it would have been impossible for players to compete in the current climate. DSD: I must say your Twitter feed makes for some excellent reading. How many pets do you have at home? Ashwini: The two dogs that we currently have at home- Jazz and Lola - are actually my in-laws' pets. But as soon as my husband found out that I'm returning home, he got the dogs to the house and I'm delighted he did that. They are so lively and have been a breath of fresh air in our lives. They fill our house with energy and just instil so much positivity into us. We are also showered with love from our two dogs. So overall being locked in with them is a lot of fun. DSD: It is nice to see the other, lighter side of the badminton players during the lockdown because usually all of you wouldn't get to spend so much time at home... Ashwini: Yes, that's true. I'm travelling so often that I hardly get so spend time at my house in Bengaluru. And when I'm in Hyderabad, my life revolves around my training, I spend most of the day on the court. But now. During the lockdown we are living a fantasy life of sorts, my husband and I are able to spend quality time with our dogs, which wouldn't be possible if we weren't in lockdown. DSD: You have raised your voice against the treatment of animals in the past and now the roles have reversed Ashwini...lots of videos of animals freely roaming around and all of us are locked up. Ashwini: It's so strange to see these things. But I feel like nature has a way of balancing itself out and I believe everything happens for a reason. It must be the first time in years that the animals have the freedom to walk around in towns and cities. It's quite an eye-opener, but also nice to see all the positive content while we're locked down because it is important to keep our spirits up. DSD: You have previously raised your voice against animals being caged, now the roles have reversed during the lockdown, and awe are the ones who are unable to move freely... Ashwini: It's quite ironic how things have changed. It's also a bit weird because it's not just our country, the entire world is suffering.hopefully after this crisis is over, people will be more understanding towards the plight of the animals. I have a feeling people's outlook towards a lot of things will change after this ordeal. DSD: What for you has been the biggest piece of learning in these last 30 days or so.earlier before your marriage you used to stay alone in Hyderabad when training at national camp so you know how to manage on your own... Ashwini: It's actually a welcome break for me, I have travelled a lot over the past few years. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had to represent my country, but sometimes you do feel like pressing the pause button. This forced lockdown has been a welcome break for me. I can sit back, relax and also have more control over my life. Nothing is pushing me at the moment and I can do things on my own terms. Sometimes when you're travelling and playing, life gets a bit monotonous and at times you're just going through the motions every day. So I feel like it's important to take a step back and realise why you started playing the sport in the first place, why you fell in love with the game. I like the fact that I am in charge of my routine. Whatever training I do, is purely because I want to do it. Sometimes when you're on tour, you lose track of why you do certain things because of the busy schedule. DSD: I was browsing through your Twitter feed and a lovely piece of skill was the home practice even as your husband in the background carried on with the TV viewing. Ashwini: I think he was doing some work on his laptop at that point in time. When I'm doing my training, he'll usually do his work, both of us are making the best use of this time. I'm trying to unwind and relax, take a step back to reflect on things and add more purpose to my actions. Meanwhile, my husband reads a lot, he does research based on his assignments. So while he was doing his work, I continued to do my wall practice. DSD: How essential it is to keep the skills sharp during this period because there is bound to be a period of rustiness when sport resumes at some point? Ashwini: I think it's essential to be in touch with your skills. Anything you can do to work on your game will go a long way in helping you regain your touch when you're back on the court. So any training is better than no training. Wall practice improves my defence, which is very important for a doubles player. I use a hex ball for my wall practice and the good thing about that is I can also work on different strokes. The apartment that I live in right now is pretty small, so it becomes difficult to practice with a shuttle. My two dogs also love the shuttle, so it is tough to use it. But with the hex ball, I can practice a wide array of shots and you can do it at a slower pace when compared to the shuttle, which comes back faster. So I'm glad I bought the hex ball a while back and I'm putting it to good use now. DSD: How are you and Sikki Reddy staying in touch? As doubles partners do you also usually spend time together to build up that understanding on-court? Ashwini: We stay together when we're on tour and even go out for meals when we can. Before Sikki got married we used to live together as well, so we have spent a lot of time together and do have a special bond. But when we come back home, it is much more family-centric. We try to spend as much time with our respective families as possible because we are travelling so much throughout the year. Right now we're just keeping in touch through social media posts, if Sikki posts an interesting video, I comment on it and otherwise we talk about shows that we're watching. DSD: What are you watching these days? Ashwini: You'll be shocked to know that I have started watching Korean shows, I've really gotten into Korean drama shows and Sikki enjoys watching them too. DSD: How essential is it to have belief in a partnership after an underwhelming year? The results in 2019 weren’t very good and you had a lot of run in’s with top seeds very early on. Ashwini: It is tough maintaining that belief, but if you see the matches that we lost last year in the first rounds, they were mostly against top five or top ten pairs. And they were all good contests, so that has only motivated us more to work harder and improve our performances. It is disappointing because we were in positions where we had our opponents on the ropes but weren't able to finish the job off. I was also struggling with a knee injury last year which also made it difficult to perform at the highest level. But it still gives us the satisfaction that we were competitive in most watches we played in. Sikki and I have been supportive of each other and hopefully, this year will bring much better results. DSD: Someone like you who has won the big medals, obviously wants to keep herself motivated to perform at the highest level, is that why I saw a picture of notes being taken of matches...are you doing a post-mortem of what has been going wrong? Ashwini: Absolutely, I feel like I've been working really hard and training a lot. So there's nothing lacking on those fronts. But there's obviously something that's missing from our performances. So as players I feel it is my responsibility to figure out why things aren't working out. Since we don't have video analysts of our own, I've been watching tapes of our matches and trying to observe if there is any pattern to our matches.so I've been trying to figure out a way of breaking everything down and making it easier for me to understand. DSD: You were part of the Indian team for the last two Olympics. This time do you think the postponement of Tokyo Games is going to work out in your favour? Ashwini: I'm not sure if that will be the case. This year initially, we still had a couple of months left for the Olympic qualification period for the 2020 games. No one really knows when things are going to resume and get back on track. I think it will only be fair if next year we are given that period again by the BWF to get out Olympic spots. But then again no one really knows how long the wait is going to be for the next tournament. We just have to play the waiting game at the moment. DSD: As things stand, we have 15 months for the Olympics.what in your opinion should the qualifying criteria be.should it be a fresh start or should they just play the tournaments that were lost due to the suspension. Ashwini: I think we should just play the tournaments that were lost because of the coronavirus pandemic because there was a lot of work put in by shuttlers for that one year of the qualification period that did take place. I think it would be unfair to start the process again even though it might be an advantage to some of us. The BWF, in my opinion, should just schedule the tournaments that were lost and I don't think there would be any complaints from the players. But like I said before, we do not know when the action will return. DSD: You weren't that far behind in terms of the ranking cut off for the Olympics, you were 4000- 5000 points behind, that can be made up with a few quarter-finals runs in tournaments, so do you think if the qualification period starts again on 1st March 2021 and goes on till 30th April 2021, you will be able to get a good shot at qualification? Ashwini: Yes, it would only be fair that we get that chance. I'm also confident that we will be able to achieve that because the last couple of Olympics we have been in similar scenarios and somehow managed to sneak our way with strong performances in the final few tournaments. So I think we still have a good chance of making the games even though we didn't have a good start. In the ideal situation, we would be in a much more comfortable situation, but I believe in fighting until the end because anything can happen in the last few months leading up to the games. DSD: There has been a lot of criticism of the BWF for the way they handled the pandemic. Has this period also exposed the leadership, in your sport? Ashwini: I think they were a little late in the decisions they took, they could have definitely taken a stand for the players a bit earlier. Many of us players voiced our concerns, a lot of us continued to play in tournaments even though we were scared of the outbreak of the disease. If the BWF is holding tournaments, you feel as if it is your duty to participate in the events. But I'm glad that BWF eventually heard our voices and took a call to suspend the tournaments. It's never too late and luckily they made the announcement in just the nick of time before the situation got out of control. So, the BWF might not have taken a decision as early as other world federations, but I'm happy that eventually the right call was made. DSD: How much are you in touch with the rest of the badminton circuit right now? Whatsapp, Skype, Google Hangouts or is this a welcome pause and just life on your own terms? Ashwini: I think because of social media, we do not actually have to constantly be in touch with everyone to know what they're doing. A lot of players have been putting up motivational videos. You get an idea into how each athlete is trying to keep fit during these tough times, which is helpful. So in a way, all of us have been aiding each other through this crisis. Even a funny or light post can encourage you to become more active.

Exclusive: 'It's a welcome break for me' - Ashwini Ponnappa opens up on life in lockdown, decision to play All England Championship, and much more

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. Sportspersons have been restricted to train indoors with absolutely no uncertainty as to when live-action will resume.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. Sportspersons have been restricted to train indoors with absolutely no uncertainty as to when live-action will resume. Tournaments and sporting events are facing postponement and cancellations in a year which was supposed to be the busiest when sports is concerned. While many athletes have taken this phase to spend time with families, there are others who are stuck in a foreign land. Five-time world champion and India's first-ever grandmaster, Viswanathan Anand, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about life in and after lockdown, how he is spending his time in Germany, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, online chess with his son and much more… Digvijay Singh Deo: Anand, I have been speaking to many of India’s best sporting minds asking them about their routine during the lockdown in India. But you are in a village just outside of Frankfurt and completely alone. So to use a chess term you are under check! Anand: I think I'm just slightly off-centre, to use a chess term. I came to play with my german club and was supposed to play in two matches. one was scheduled for February and went ahead and the other was slotted for the middle of march. I was supposed the catch the flight back home the day after my final match. But my game was called off because of the coronavirus pandemic, and of course, my flight back to India was cancelled. Since then I have just been waiting for updates and as there is nothing else I can do. It's already been a month since that happened and I think it will take at least another 2-3 weeks for flights to resume.of course I would really love to be home with my family, but luckily I'm still able to talk to them. I'm fairly comfortable here in Germany and also have some friends nearby, so my situation could have been worse. but I just can't wait to get back. DSD: I was chatting with your wife Aruna and she told me this is the same flat where you used to prepare for your World Championship battles. Were you alone back then as well? Anand: Earlier when I was preparing for the world championship matches, I was staying at this same flat. My team was staying in a nearby hotel, we would often gather to get our work done, so there was a fair amount of social interaction. The chess community in Germany is extremely close-knit. I would call my current situation very intimate rather than being in isolation. On the chess front, I'm getting a lot of practice, which is a positive. DSD: Of course you are in daily touch with the family back in Chennai but just from what you are reading, how different is the situation in Germany and India where we have a complete lockdown? Anand: I'm in a small town called Bad Soden, 17 kilometres away from Frankfurt. The population is about 20,000 people and the restrictions are not very strict. Generally, you don't need to be very strict with germans because they are very disciplined. They've been following all the social distancing Guidelines and things are able to function here on a basic level. I'm able to stick to my daily routine. The only information I'm getting about the situation in India is through websites. There have been mentions about India on certain German news channels, but it's very hard to get the full picture from here. I will only be able to gauge the situation properly once I return home. DSD: Aruna was telling me that you were managing on pretty simple stuff for your food. So are you following any online cooking recipes or is your wife telling you what to make on Skype? Anand: My friends live next door and they have been very helpful, occasionally they invite me over for dinner. But otherwise, I don't try to make any dish which is complicated. I don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen, so I keep things simple. Some of the restaurants here also open for takeaways, so that's another option I fortunately have. I would say I'm extremely comfortable and all my previous training for tournaments has prepared me very well to live in this flat. So I can't really complain about most things. But this time I really feel I'm stuck. DSD: Anand, we have been seeing a lot of stuff from across the world on how many people are stuck especially Indians in various parts of the world due to the travel restrictions. Tennis player Sumit Nagal is in Germany too so are you in touch with the embassy about the possibility of being evacuated or are you prepared to wait it out as long as these restrictions are in place? Anand: The Indian embassy here in Germany has been very helpful with information. Unfortunately what they're telling me at the moment is that is impossible to get back home. So I'll just have to wait for the travel restrictions to be lifted. But they've been very helpful and proactive with information and it's been very easy to communicate with them during these times. In fact only yesterday I got in touch with them to inquire about my visa extension, since I'll have to stay here a little longer, and they sent me all the necessary information and steps to follow to do the needful. The embassy's Twitter page is also very helpful, it is regularly updated and the information is accurate. Sometimes, you cannot fully trust the information that the media puts out. DSD: Has this pandemic, which has wiped out the global sporting calendar made us realise how important sport is in our lives. Earlier we sort of had taken a lot of things for granted including sport on a weekend. Anand: Sport does form an important part of our life. We all have our favourite sporting events marked out in the calendar and look forward to them each year. So it's hard for sports fans to deal with the current situation because a major part of their lives has been suddenly taken away from them. Luckily with chess, certain events can take place online. The good things about these events are that you don't lose anything in terms of sporting excitement and atmosphere. There's been a lot of online chess activity, so that gives us something to follow. We're also in shock because suddenly I don't know when I'll play my next tournament. It could be in September or October, or maybe even next year. You simply have no way of knowing. Imagine if this crisis would have occurred ten years ago when internet speed and penetration were not what they are today. I wonder how people would have coped with the lockdown. So because of the internet, at least people are able to distract themselves during the day otherwise they would just be sitting idle. DSD: In many sports Anand we are seeing virtual competitions be it in cycling or motorsports…Is that the way to go to keep fans engaged and also to keep the players sharp through this period of uncertainty? Anand: Yes, you want to keep your fan engaged. At the end of the day, every sport is a community of people who love that particular game, and this is a good time to reach out to every one of those people. The events can be very simple, but that way you keep the connection alive and the whole community enjoys the activity together.every sport is trying to find some way to get around the crisis DSD: In Germany, there was talk of the football - Bundesliga - resuming behind closed doors in May but it has been sort of pushed back now. In many sports especially the outdoor ones the atmosphere elevates a match. Should sports which can give so much relief in times like this be played behind closed doors? Anand: It's only a situation that comes up during emergencies. Everyone admits that sport without fans is not the real thing and the value of it is diminished. Events held behind closed doors can be followed through the internet or television, everyone agrees the situation is far from perfect, but this is a compromise. It's not only about sport but for life in general. When have we ever faced anything like this? The world has come to an absolute standstill. I remember when I was in my 20s, I used to frequently forget which country I was in because I used to travel so often, but now this crisis has given my a completely new perspective on things. This situation is straight out of a science fiction movie. Whenever you watched those movies, you felt that the plot was too unrealistic, but here we are living that movie. DSD: When we do come out of this situation and it will take more than a few months for the world to slowly limp back to normal what are the lessons that we should never forget. Anand: I hope we learn to exercise restraint. The demand to have everything at your fingertips in an instant has certain consequences. I hope we learn to slow things down a little bit. The crisis has been devastating but the air quality in so many cities across the world has improved drastically. For the future, I think all governments should have basic protocol and guidelines ready for a pandemic.if that is not done, then we will face another crisis and the consequences will be terrible. So overall I think we do need to slow down a bit, the world was moving too fast and the virus was able to take advantage of it. DSD: Who would have imagined no cars on the road, we are seeing animals roaming freely in cities that have forests nearby, this lockdown is doing a lot to control carbon emissions etc. The fact remains if governments want, we can get our act together. Anand: If tomorrow the restrictions are lifted, I have no doubt that things will go back to the way they were. But over a period of time, if we can learn to live with 90 per cent of the resources we are living with right now, then the situation will be so much better. There are so many things which we just accept as the price for development- traffic, deteriorating air quality. These things are just accepted as the price you have to pay for progress. But if we can slow things down there will be immense benefits to humanity as a whole. I was personally blown away while watching the zebra trotting around in Paris. It's beautiful to see the animals do such things because they have been unable to live with such freedom for generations. There is so much to learn from this enforced lesson. We always thought it was impossible to slow society down, but now we realise it can be done. Governments are able to shut down entire countries for a certain period of time. Perhaps we need to learn to live with certain restrictions because the benefits are so clear as well. DSD: The Olympics too have been postponed. You have been a mentor at Olympic Gold Quest for many years now. Many of the sportspersons prepare for 4 years for this one shot at glory. How do they keep their spirits up when faced with a 15-month delay? Anand: Mentoring is important and we do have to help each other through these tough times, but on the other hand there is no one who has experienced anything like this, so it is difficult to really be a mentor in this crisis. Sometimes life is more powerful than our plans. There is nothing we can do about it, sometimes you just have to accept the inevitable. In terms of preparation for the games, athletes should aim to wipe out these few months and start mentally preparing for the games in March 2021, the same way they were doing so in march 2020. That will help them get back in the groove with the objective of peaking in July. A year is a long time in the career of some athletes and the postponement might deter their chances if doing well, but like I said these things out not in our control. First, we have to accept the prevailing situation and overcome the circumstances. I think that will happen till July or August. So there is enough time to prepare for the Olympics next year and hopefully, we will be able to communicate with our athletes and address their concerns. DSD: Staying with the Olympic postponement, has this pandemic also exposed the leadership at many sporting bodies. There has been a lot of criticism of the IOC for putting athletes at risk by asking them to initially continue training. Anand: I feel not only sporting bodies, but even national governments have been ill-prepared for this pandemic. It's easy to criticise and point fingers, but we must take into account that we have never had a crisis like this. People are always trying to deal with issues with a template of how they overcame similar problems in the past, but this crisis is truly unprecedented. The really difficult thing is to do what Wimbledon did. The event got pandemic insurance 17 years ago and for that time they paid their premiums, and now their far-sighted decision is paying dividends. That leadership shown by Wimbledon was admirable.but otherwise, there is no point in pointing fingers at sporting bodies for their management of this crisis, it won't achieve anything. But it is important to be wary of a situation like this in the future. Pandemics might happen infrequently, but the damage done is extraordinary.even governments must be better prepared for a health crisis like this in the future. Medical facilities must be set up to deal with a massive outbreak like this. Like I said before we must slow down a bit. We can't be chasing profitability all the time. I feel every company will need to set aside some funds for a crisis, all the money can't be distributed among the shareholders. The crisis fund will help in paying the employees their salaries and keeps the organisation alive.this sort of planning will have to enter our ecosystem and we will need more of far-sighted decisions. DSD: Even in your sport, the Candidates began under the shadow of the coronavirus and then was abruptly ended. FIDE did not come out particularly well through this flip flop. At some point it will resume, how difficult will it be for the players to switch on because you usually enter a tournament with a set mindset and then suddenly it is all upside down. Would it be fair to resume from where it is or start from scratch again? Anand: The Candidates tournaments have kicked off and the contestants who are leading will never agree to give up their lead. So I think the tournament will resume from where it stopped. I am not that critical of FIDE. They could have taken the decision even before the tournament in March. If you go back to February, even a lot of world leaders were saying that the situation will improve soon and things will get back to normal. Sporting bodies to follow the line of national governments so the Candidates tournament went ahead. The players were not that endangers since they would have had access to better medical facilities in Russia than in their home towns. The entire tournament would have been in jeopardy if airspace would have shut at the time. I don't think in future any tournament will be held in such a crisis, but that is because we have learnt our lesson and gone through this experience. It is easy to say that the tournament should not have been held altogether. I don't see how FIDE can put things right. They cannot compensate both Teimour Radjabov, who withdrew from the event before the start, and the leaders at the same time. This doesn't need a clever diplomat, it's impossible to solve because you cannot satisfy all parties. Sometimes in life, you just have to accept that things happen beyond your control and there is no way back. Even the expectation that everything will be fair and proper, is a sign that we are in control of all events. So nothing can be done sometimes and we just have to accept the circumstances. DSD: You were doing commentary through the tournament, what do you make of it as things stand? Anand: I really enjoyed doing commentary, it's the first time i did it and it was great experience. Before it began i was unsure of how to approach it, one approach i could take is speak from the perspective of being a top player and someone who has had success in the game and try to figure every move from the players' point of view. The other approach is that of a pure fan, where you just enjoy the wonderful games on view. So i think eventually i tried to mix those two approaches and enjoyed myself. The leader-board is not a huge surprise. Maybe the only disappointment is that fabio caruana didn't hit the ground running in the beginning of the tournament. But i'm only saying that because of his strong performances at the end of last year. Having said that. He's still within striking distance and as things stand, the tournament is very competitive. The two leaders- maxime vachier-lagrave and nepomniachtchi are doing well but they are within reach. I enjoyed following the event as a fan because there is no pressure, something you have to deal with as a player. But while i was doing commentary, i also kept putting myself in the players' shoes and that sometimes made me miss playing the game. DSD: So let me Ask Anand the pundit if he has seen enough at the Candidates to feel that Magnus Carlsen can be challenged by one of the contestants. Anand: Someone like Maxime Vacherie-Lagrave, only got to know five days before the event that he is playing, and despite being aware of the coronavirus crisis in his native France, he was just desperate to play.so they are constantly willing to challenge themselves to reach next level. Also I think in away they will be stronger for having gone through this experience. The postponements will test the players, but if they are able to keep themselves motivated, then that itself is a kind of training. The World Championships this year will I think almost certainly be postponed to next year and that could have an effect on the players' performances. I don't think any of the participants in the candidates tournament are that far behind magnus carlsen. Carlsen is certainly the strongest player in the world but he can be challenged. Especially if the candidates winner can get a good run of form before the world championships, i think carlsen will be pushed hard. DSD: My final question to you Anand, your chess skills are legendary but how is Anand the dad as a chess player. You do play online with your son , those are the small joys for you. Anand: It's hard to play chess with my son, because naturally my player instincts come in and sometimes i want to tell him not to make a particular move. But my wife, Aruna, keeps reminding me that i'm his dad and not his coach. My son is currently playing chess on this website which helps children learn the game, so he successfully climbed the ladder and reached level 10, the toughest grade in the series. But he wasn't able to crack that grade. So he asked me to play from his account t improve his score,so i agreed. But I played three games against the computer and I just couldn't beat it because it was too strong. We often say that computers are smarter than humans, and in this case the statement holds true. So my son was really annoyed when I told him that I wasn't able to win the game for him. But mainly I think playing chess with my son and is just a chance to connect with him. I'm very happy he's playing the game and he's doing very well. When I play against my son, I'm somewhere between a dad and a chess player, because sometimes I can't hep myself and play properly.

Exclusive: 'Hope we learn to exercise restraint when this ends' - Viswanathan Anand on life after lockdown, being stuck in Germany and more

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all. Hockey is one of the sports to have taken a body blow from the coronavirus pandemic. After the extension of the lockdown till May 3 by the Indian government, Hockey India decided to postpone all its national championships indefinitely. In the international circuit, there will be no matches for the Indian team until the month of June, as of now.&nbsp;

The goalkeeper of Indian men's hockey team, PR Sreejesh, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from lockdown in SAI campus in Bengaluru, training while maintaining social distancing, postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the emergence of young talents in Indian hockey, and much more.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-might-be-a-good-idea-to-look-at-quarantine-facility-for-olympic-hopefuls-pullela-gopichand-opens-up-on-postponed-games-and-more-292727" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more</a>

Digvijay Singh Deo: Now normally Sreejesh is a very jovial person but the lockdown is no laughing matter. &nbsp;Hopefully no dampening of spirits within the Indian team…

Sreejesh:&nbsp;We are still trying to keep our spirits up, unfortunately, certain things are not in our control. We are just trying to stay positive and focus on the things that make us happy.

DSD:&nbsp;You are in Bengaluru inside the Sports Authority of India campus. I am told that the officials there very strictly enforced social distancing back in the second week of March itself and no outsiders were allowed to enter the campus…

Sreejesh: This was a great initiative from SAI we started our camp here on March 1, so we've been here for over six weeks. The gates of the campus were closed in March itself, and they didn't allow any outsiders to enter and no person from the campus could leave the premises as well. It is perfect for us to be able to stay here during the lockdown. I believe we are completely safe and secure here inside the campus.

<img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bee04e38-fda1-4525-bb98-a4b7cc7d39bb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pr-sreejesh-hockey-file-pti.jpg" />

DSD:&nbsp;Now what is your routine and that of your team especially when we all have to follow social distancing… 
&nbsp; 
Sreejesh:&nbsp;As we all know the Olympics have been postponed and no international events are coming up in the near future, but still we are focussing on our fitness and strength. We are following the safety guidelines that have been issued by the government. So our staff here has prepared individual training schedules for players. We go in groups of 2 or 3 to run on the track.

We can't use the gym, but we are undergoing individual weight training sessions in whatever space we can. Our focus right now is on maintaining our fitness levels that we have built up over the last few years. We are not doing any hockey training at the moment because of the social distancing rules, but we are continuing to work hard on our fitness levels.

DSD: You come from Kerala and there have been a lot of positive cases there. Your family is there so are you in touch with them daily?

Sreejesh:&nbsp;Yes, the safety of my family was my first concern when the crisis started. My father is over 60 yeas old and he is a heart patient, so it is extremely important for him to be safe and remain inside the house with my mother. I have told them not to leave the house unless it is for something urgent. I have two children who are less than six years old, so being away from them is tough, but I read the situation in Kerala is improving. The government, medical professionals and the people of the state are doing a commendable job in limiting the spread of the virus.

DSD: Now in the last month we have seen the global sporting calendar wiped out. The Olympics which was the dream of everyone associated with Indian hockey too was postponed. How did the team and especially you react to that news?

Sreejesh:&nbsp;The first reaction was that of disappointment because for the last year we were preparing for the 2020 Olympics scheduled in July and August. We sealed our place in the games in November last year and since then we were in a good run of form, we started the FIH Pro League on a positive note as well.

But like I said before the postponement is something that is not in our control. Now we have another year to improve our game, work on our weaknesses and further sharpen our strengths. In terms of mental preparedness as well, we have to accept the fact that the games have been pushed back. But I'm sure if we maintain our focus and intensity levels, we will continue to challenge the world's top teams as we have been doing recently.

DSD: The Olympics need a lot of detailed planning and coaches spend a lot of time trying to ensure the team peaks right during the Olympics. The way we were playing sort of showed we had momentum behind us.how do you start from scratch again now with the games now 15 months away.

Sreejesh:&nbsp;Yes that's correct if you see our results in the last few months, we have been steadily improving. Our performances in the pro league were particularly encouraging. But then the whole scenario changed because of the coronavirus crisis. Now there is even uncertainty whether the games will be held in 2021 as well. But this is not in our control, we can only ensure that whenever the games happen, we are fully prepared for the competition. We have to maintain our mental and physical state throughout these 15 months. There will also be changes in the tactics and the performance levels of our competitors.

<img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="797cf470-7e5f-4bef-b779-594802b179bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Hkg5495227.jpg" />

New players might come in and they might undertake a new style of play. But overall, I think our momentum heading into the games was halted which means we have to re-calibrate. Once we know the schedule for the next competitive match, then only we will able to get our rhythm back. We have enough time to work on our basics and get our campaign back on track. In terms of fitness levels, I feel our trainer is good enough to ensure that we make up for the time that we have lost in the gym and in the field. So I believe we will regain our fitness levels once the lockdown is over.

DSD: We have seen this year during the FIH Pro League how younger players were coming into the team and gelling well with the experienced lot including you and Manpreet. Now seniors like you know how to deal with adversity having spent so much time in the game. How crucial a role do you see for yourself, Manpreet, Kothajit and Rupinderpal in guiding these young players through this period of uncertainty.

Sreejesh: Yes that is true, but even for us senior players this is a completely new experience. I have been out of international competitions only once in my life for an extended period of time of about 6-7 months, which was due to an injury. But my advice to young players would be to focus on the basics and maintain your fitness levels. But I would also encourage them not to stress about the ongoing situation. This would be a great time for them to learn a new skill, apart from sport. They can read books and gain other interests, which will, in turn, develop their personalities not just as sportspersons but as human beings.

This might even help in their growth as a player because they will have a new outlook on life when they step on the field. So during the lockdown, there is no point on dwelling on the things that we are not able to do, but instead, make the best of what we have and use this period to sharpen our brain and work on our physical fitness. If the players remain positive and keep themselves occupied in some form, I'm sure the players will benefit and we will hit the ground running when we return to the field.

DSD: So the lockdown we know is continuing till May 3rd, the Pro League matches are off till may end and across the world, with various flight restrictions and quarantine measures in place there is a possibility that we see no sporting action before July end ..that is around 4-5 months at-least without top-flight action…how do you maintain the intensity levels in a time like this?

Sreejesh: I think this is the time when we need to take our foot off the pedal because it is impossible to remain in peak fitness for 365 days in a year. We, of course, need to retain our basic levels of fitness and be mentally prepared to return to action. As a team, this is the time we are using to unwind. We are doing a sort of post-mortem on our past matches and analysing areas in which we can improve. As athletes, we are involved in international events for a majority of the year, so it can get difficult to deal with such a lockdown, but all we can do is wait and make do with what we have. Once the schedule is out, then hopefully we will get enough time to prepare and regain our fitness levels.

<img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f69178db-c0c3-4984-9786-68189737158a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pr-sreejash.jpg" />

DSD: Obviously sport is not a priority at the moment but how important will sport be when the world slowly limps back to normal. Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson&nbsp;even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore.

Sreejesh: It is so strange in a way because people have so much free time at home to watch sport, but there is no action anywhere in the world. But sports has the power to take people's mind off from the doom and gloom of daily life and lift the spirit of everyone. People might cherish sports more after the lockdown since they are desperate for some action and there is none available at the moment. So sportspersons might be respected more after the lockdown in terms of the 'value' that they add to society.

DSD: Are you in touch with fellow internationals from other teams across the world…do you compare notes with what is happening in their daily lives?

Sreejesh: Yes, luckily because of social media I am able to connect with a number of international players. All of the player I've spoken to are finding it hard to deal with these unprecedented times. In Europe, the restrictions are extremely strict and it is difficult to function. But the important thing is that they are receiving all the essential services. Most prominent hockey players are working out at home and putting out content on social media. Young players can learn from the work ethic of these stars.it also sends out a message on the importance of staying healthy in these tough times.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all. Hockey is one of the sports to have taken a body blow from the coronavirus pandemic. After the extension of the lockdown till May 3 by the Indian government, Hockey India decided to postpone all its national championships indefinitely. In the international circuit, there will be no matches for the Indian team until the month of June, as of now. The goalkeeper of Indian men's hockey team, PR Sreejesh, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from lockdown in SAI campus in Bengaluru, training while maintaining social distancing, postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the emergence of young talents in Indian hockey, and much more. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more Digvijay Singh Deo: Now normally Sreejesh is a very jovial person but the lockdown is no laughing matter. Hopefully no dampening of spirits within the Indian team… Sreejesh: We are still trying to keep our spirits up, unfortunately, certain things are not in our control. We are just trying to stay positive and focus on the things that make us happy. DSD: You are in Bengaluru inside the Sports Authority of India campus. I am told that the officials there very strictly enforced social distancing back in the second week of March itself and no outsiders were allowed to enter the campus… Sreejesh: This was a great initiative from SAI we started our camp here on March 1, so we've been here for over six weeks. The gates of the campus were closed in March itself, and they didn't allow any outsiders to enter and no person from the campus could leave the premises as well. It is perfect for us to be able to stay here during the lockdown. I believe we are completely safe and secure here inside the campus. DSD: Now what is your routine and that of your team especially when we all have to follow social distancing… Sreejesh: As we all know the Olympics have been postponed and no international events are coming up in the near future, but still we are focussing on our fitness and strength. We are following the safety guidelines that have been issued by the government. So our staff here has prepared individual training schedules for players. We go in groups of 2 or 3 to run on the track. We can't use the gym, but we are undergoing individual weight training sessions in whatever space we can. Our focus right now is on maintaining our fitness levels that we have built up over the last few years. We are not doing any hockey training at the moment because of the social distancing rules, but we are continuing to work hard on our fitness levels. DSD: You come from Kerala and there have been a lot of positive cases there. Your family is there so are you in touch with them daily? Sreejesh: Yes, the safety of my family was my first concern when the crisis started. My father is over 60 yeas old and he is a heart patient, so it is extremely important for him to be safe and remain inside the house with my mother. I have told them not to leave the house unless it is for something urgent. I have two children who are less than six years old, so being away from them is tough, but I read the situation in Kerala is improving. The government, medical professionals and the people of the state are doing a commendable job in limiting the spread of the virus. DSD: Now in the last month we have seen the global sporting calendar wiped out. The Olympics which was the dream of everyone associated with Indian hockey too was postponed. How did the team and especially you react to that news? Sreejesh: The first reaction was that of disappointment because for the last year we were preparing for the 2020 Olympics scheduled in July and August. We sealed our place in the games in November last year and since then we were in a good run of form, we started the FIH Pro League on a positive note as well. But like I said before the postponement is something that is not in our control. Now we have another year to improve our game, work on our weaknesses and further sharpen our strengths. In terms of mental preparedness as well, we have to accept the fact that the games have been pushed back. But I'm sure if we maintain our focus and intensity levels, we will continue to challenge the world's top teams as we have been doing recently. DSD: The Olympics need a lot of detailed planning and coaches spend a lot of time trying to ensure the team peaks right during the Olympics. The way we were playing sort of showed we had momentum behind us.how do you start from scratch again now with the games now 15 months away. Sreejesh: Yes that's correct if you see our results in the last few months, we have been steadily improving. Our performances in the pro league were particularly encouraging. But then the whole scenario changed because of the coronavirus crisis. Now there is even uncertainty whether the games will be held in 2021 as well. But this is not in our control, we can only ensure that whenever the games happen, we are fully prepared for the competition. We have to maintain our mental and physical state throughout these 15 months. There will also be changes in the tactics and the performance levels of our competitors. New players might come in and they might undertake a new style of play. But overall, I think our momentum heading into the games was halted which means we have to re-calibrate. Once we know the schedule for the next competitive match, then only we will able to get our rhythm back. We have enough time to work on our basics and get our campaign back on track. In terms of fitness levels, I feel our trainer is good enough to ensure that we make up for the time that we have lost in the gym and in the field. So I believe we will regain our fitness levels once the lockdown is over. DSD: We have seen this year during the FIH Pro League how younger players were coming into the team and gelling well with the experienced lot including you and Manpreet. Now seniors like you know how to deal with adversity having spent so much time in the game. How crucial a role do you see for yourself, Manpreet, Kothajit and Rupinderpal in guiding these young players through this period of uncertainty. Sreejesh: Yes that is true, but even for us senior players this is a completely new experience. I have been out of international competitions only once in my life for an extended period of time of about 6-7 months, which was due to an injury. But my advice to young players would be to focus on the basics and maintain your fitness levels. But I would also encourage them not to stress about the ongoing situation. This would be a great time for them to learn a new skill, apart from sport. They can read books and gain other interests, which will, in turn, develop their personalities not just as sportspersons but as human beings. This might even help in their growth as a player because they will have a new outlook on life when they step on the field. So during the lockdown, there is no point on dwelling on the things that we are not able to do, but instead, make the best of what we have and use this period to sharpen our brain and work on our physical fitness. If the players remain positive and keep themselves occupied in some form, I'm sure the players will benefit and we will hit the ground running when we return to the field. DSD: So the lockdown we know is continuing till May 3rd, the Pro League matches are off till may end and across the world, with various flight restrictions and quarantine measures in place there is a possibility that we see no sporting action before July end ..that is around 4-5 months at-least without top-flight action…how do you maintain the intensity levels in a time like this? Sreejesh: I think this is the time when we need to take our foot off the pedal because it is impossible to remain in peak fitness for 365 days in a year. We, of course, need to retain our basic levels of fitness and be mentally prepared to return to action. As a team, this is the time we are using to unwind. We are doing a sort of post-mortem on our past matches and analysing areas in which we can improve. As athletes, we are involved in international events for a majority of the year, so it can get difficult to deal with such a lockdown, but all we can do is wait and make do with what we have. Once the schedule is out, then hopefully we will get enough time to prepare and regain our fitness levels. DSD: Obviously sport is not a priority at the moment but how important will sport be when the world slowly limps back to normal. Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore. Sreejesh: It is so strange in a way because people have so much free time at home to watch sport, but there is no action anywhere in the world. But sports has the power to take people's mind off from the doom and gloom of daily life and lift the spirit of everyone. People might cherish sports more after the lockdown since they are desperate for some action and there is none available at the moment. So sportspersons might be respected more after the lockdown in terms of the 'value' that they add to society. DSD: Are you in touch with fellow internationals from other teams across the world…do you compare notes with what is happening in their daily lives? Sreejesh: Yes, luckily because of social media I am able to connect with a number of international players. All of the player I've spoken to are finding it hard to deal with these unprecedented times. In Europe, the restrictions are extremely strict and it is difficult to function. But the important thing is that they are receiving all the essential services. Most prominent hockey players are working out at home and putting out content on social media. Young players can learn from the work ethic of these stars.it also sends out a message on the importance of staying healthy in these tough times.

Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more

Badminton is one of the sports to be hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has cancelled a host of events like the Australian Open, Thailand Open 2020, Indonesia Open 2020, Russian Open 2020, among others. There's even&nbsp;major uncertainty on the qualification scenario for the Tokyo Olympics when it comes to badminton, which was postponed to 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, the athletes have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to stay fit whenever the sporting action resumes.

The Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team, the only Indian sportsperson to win both Khel Ratna and Dronacharya award, Pullela Gopichand, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a lot of topics ranging from the importance of remaining physically and mentally fit during lockdown, being friends with technology to keep up the training regimes, the postponed Olympics, idea of quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls and much more...

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&nbsp;

Digvijay Singh Deo: Now Gopi is usually a very busy man and I have once had to wake up at 5:30 am to interview him. But for this interview, we both had to coordinate the online class timings of our sons. Must say online classes are a boon during these thought times...

<o:p></o:p>

Gopichand:&nbsp;The online classes keep the kids busy, otherwise they would be a quite tough to handle in these times

DSD: The family must be pretty surprised to see you at home Gopi all this while. Your day starts and ends at the academy mostly in normal times...

Gopichand: Surprisingly, it's not been bad till now, I've enjoyed my stay at home. I returned from the UK on the 15th of March, which was a very sensitive time. I put myself in quarantine for two weeks even though it wasn't mandatory for me at that time. My wife and kids only joined me last week. So overall, I've enjoyed my time at home. My parents are staying at my house in Hyderabad since it is more important for them to be safe, and I've come to the farmhouse along with my wife and kids.

DSD: What’s happening with your academies?&nbsp;They are pretty big and is any anyone looking after the basic maintenance?

Gopichand: Only a skeletal housekeeping staff is operating at the academy now since we've been closed for a month.

DSD: There were a few players who decided to opt-out of the All England and they left the academy and returned home after some cases were reported in the vicinity...

Gopichand: I think that period in early March, people were sceptical about travelling anywhere in the world because the disease had started to spread in the UK. It was already a crisis in Italy, so players were a bit apprehensive of going for the tournament. With health and safety being a priority, the players decided it would be best for them to skip the all England championship.

<img alt="Pulella Gopichand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="43524156-9acc-4824-962a-e3c28eb13dbb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Hkg10096807.jpg" />

DSD:&nbsp;In hindsight do you think all of you took a huge risk in travelling to Birmingham for the All England Championships?&nbsp;It is a very prestigious championship and one of your most memorable triumphs as well. 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand: I was clear I didn't want to go, nor did I want the players to travel.but it was the players' choice which prevailed and I obviously had to go with them. I didn't have an option. My initial plan was not to go, but at the last moment our Korean coach Park Tae Sang wasn't able to travel due to some restrictions and some members of the support staff also dropped out. So it became mandatory for me to travel with the team. I think conducting the All England Championship was a huge risk. I was of that opinion before the tournament as well and still hold the same view. I did advise some players like HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Sourabh Verma against travelling for the tournament since it would not greatly affect their world rankings or Olympic qualification chances.from an organisational point of view, I do believe that the tournament should not have taken place

DSD: You are a hard taskmaster so have you got some kind of online classes going for the players...

Gopichand: We are using online platforms to have fitness sessions for all our players. There is a trainer who holds the morning session and there is a strength and conditioning session in the evening as well. We are roughly managing to do about 11 sessions in a week. Of course, it's not the same as being out on the court, but we have to make to with what we have. We have to keep ourselves in good shape physically and mentally during the lockdown. 
&nbsp; 
DSD: How essential is it not to lose your fitness during this period Gopi?&nbsp;Badminton is an extremely gruelling sport and if you are not&nbsp;hundred per cent it sort of shows on the court. 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand: Staying fit is of paramount importance during these times, any players who fail to maintain his or her physical fitness during the lockdown is going to suffer.players often have injuries, when they are not able to do much, but they are still able to do their mental training, visualisation and a little bit of strengthening. Some of these things do not require much space, what you need is a yearning to learn. In terms of the badminton calendar, we don't know what the scenario is or what it will be after in six months or a year. All we can do is that ensure the players are in good physical shape whenever it starts. I've always maintained this mantra, that the 'process is the goal'. So, even during the lockdown, the players must prepare and be ready for the next tournament whenever that may be.

DSD: Do you have any sort of an indication as to when the calendar will resume? As things stand even October 2020 seems a stretch especially with long term travel restrictions in place. 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand:&nbsp;We can speculate all we want, but I would rather focus on being prepared for whenever tournaments return. The players have to keep busy during the lockdown and train hard every day in whatever capacity they can, that's all we can do at the moment. Action could return in October 2020, or in October 2021, its just speculation at the moment. With or without the lockdown, the process should be the goal. Athletes have to keep themselves motivated and push themselves day in and day out, with whatever resources they have.

<img alt="Pulella Gopichand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64c5e6aa-0120-45c3-9eeb-53add128c843" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_UQ6U5.jpg" /> 
&nbsp; 
DSD: At some point, the global calendar will resume but will it fair, I have heard that in a few countries where the virus has been contained practice is on like China and Chinese Taipei and those players will be the main rivals for our players. 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand:&nbsp;Sport has never been fair. It is the best of what an athlete can make of whatever circumstances he or she has been given and the players who have the best facilities available to them don't always win. The scenario is also not as bad as some people might think. Right now tournaments have been suspended till July. But if BWF were to announce that tournaments would resume after that, there would be at least a two month notice period for all the players, since the various arrangements would have to be made for travel, accommodation and training. So I think that time is sufficient for players to prepare if their physical fitness has not deteriorated during the lockdown. 
&nbsp; 
DSD: Let’s get to the Olympics now and the way things were shaping up would you consider it a positive thing for Indian badminton considering we were probably going to have just 2 entries had the games gone ahead as per schedule. 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand:&nbsp;Yes, I think most coaches would have agreed to postpone the games for a year. Last year was extremely hectic and players were hardly getting any time to train, and only a small part of the qualification period was left. Now with the whole year available to the players, it is a good time for them to rest, train and get back. 
&nbsp; 
DSD: I must say that I found the BWF leadership during the crisis extremely shoddy. The Olympic qualifying process is sacrosanct and it is four years of toil for a player. I do not think they were being fair by denying opportunities to players with so many cancellations happening. What do you think? 
&nbsp; 
Gopichand:&nbsp;The Olympic qualification period was ending in April, and tournaments had been suspended from the second week of March. So there were about eight weeks to go for the qualification period the BWF still hasn't announced the new qualification norms. I would want to see them consider the 44 weeks of the qualification period that had been completed&nbsp;since all the players and coaches assumed that those would form apart of the qualifiers. The rest of the eight weeks that were left should be adjusted, so whatever tournaments that have been lost should take place either next year in March and April or sometime this year. Every tournament that was suspended should be replaced with an equally graded tournament. I would believe that the BWF would be planning something like that, so players won't have to pay for the tournament cancellations. 
&nbsp; 
DSD: World Athletics has stopped all Olympic qualifying till December 1. What sort of timelines should the BWF come up with considering that the IOC deadline is June end of 2021? Should there be a 10-tournament swing starting December to decide on the Olympic berths perhaps?

Gopichand: I believe that the 44 weeks of the Olympic qualification period that has been completed, should be frozen. In badminton, the Olympic spots are not determined by a particular tournament or event, they are decided by an aggregate number of points. In that kind of scenario, it makes sense to retain he ranking for the already-completed period, and the remaining tournaments that were part of the qualifiers can take place in the same months next year.one of the dangers of this lockdown is that the players who are in a comfortable position to qualify at the moment, might get complacent and not train enough.

So because their slot is all but confirmed, those players might not perform at the highest level at the tournaments. I think whatever new qualification norms the BWF announces, it is bound to be criticised by various nations because those countries will look at the process from their own perspective with regards to how the norms will benefit their players' chances of qualification. But I think it is fair to give time to the BWF to decide on the new norms.

<img alt="Pulella Gopichand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1330ddee-0e25-4659-a629-5d81ecc60aa9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1JT00O.jpg" /> 
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DSD: Do you also have to recalibrate your approach that has worked so well in the last. Ahead of an Olympics you usually work intensely for two to three months with the players. And it has paid off in London 2012 and Rio 2016. I am not sure you will get that much time for 2021 especially if the qualifying race gets tight. 
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Gopichand: I think the situation is different when compared to the 2008, 2012 or 2016 Olympics, the players are at a different level. We have foreign coaches and specialised event coaches as part of our support staff. So this time my role will be different. I will look at things more closely when the tournament schedule is out and decide on the best plan for each player. 
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DSD: Abhinav Bindra told me a few weeks back that the experienced players will cope with this delay better than the younger ones. For example, this works out very well for Kento Momota who was recovering from that car accident in Malaysia.&nbsp;Is it time for the best minds in Indian sport to get together and chart out a collective way forward. Every sport is currently in its own cocoon but I think when it comes to the mental approach you can learn from shooting, perhaps hockey can be able to share more tips about fitness. Since the Sports Authority of India pays most salaries the ministry can get everyone together for a two to three-day summit. Can that work?

Gopichand: I think the next few months will be very critical. Right now the lockdown is till may 3rd, but it could very well be extended. Our athletes might not get tournament exposure for the next few months at least. It will definitely help if top sporting minds come together to work out a plan that will benefit all Indian athletes. It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. &nbsp;Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure.

We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box 
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Badminton is one of the sports to be hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has cancelled a host of events like the Australian Open, Thailand Open 2020, Indonesia Open 2020, Russian Open 2020, among others.

Badminton is one of the sports to be hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has cancelled a host of events like the Australian Open, Thailand Open 2020, Indonesia Open 2020, Russian Open 2020, among others. There's even major uncertainty on the qualification scenario for the Tokyo Olympics when it comes to badminton, which was postponed to 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, the athletes have been restricted to train indoors in a bid to stay fit whenever the sporting action resumes. The Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team, the only Indian sportsperson to win both Khel Ratna and Dronacharya award, Pullela Gopichand, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a lot of topics ranging from the importance of remaining physically and mentally fit during lockdown, being friends with technology to keep up the training regimes, the postponed Olympics, idea of quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls and much more... × Digvijay Singh Deo: Now Gopi is usually a very busy man and I have once had to wake up at 5:30 am to interview him. But for this interview, we both had to coordinate the online class timings of our sons. Must say online classes are a boon during these thought times... Gopichand: The online classes keep the kids busy, otherwise they would be a quite tough to handle in these times DSD: The family must be pretty surprised to see you at home Gopi all this while. Your day starts and ends at the academy mostly in normal times... Gopichand: Surprisingly, it's not been bad till now, I've enjoyed my stay at home. I returned from the UK on the 15th of March, which was a very sensitive time. I put myself in quarantine for two weeks even though it wasn't mandatory for me at that time. My wife and kids only joined me last week. So overall, I've enjoyed my time at home. My parents are staying at my house in Hyderabad since it is more important for them to be safe, and I've come to the farmhouse along with my wife and kids. DSD: What’s happening with your academies? They are pretty big and is any anyone looking after the basic maintenance? Gopichand: Only a skeletal housekeeping staff is operating at the academy now since we've been closed for a month. DSD: There were a few players who decided to opt-out of the All England and they left the academy and returned home after some cases were reported in the vicinity... Gopichand: I think that period in early March, people were sceptical about travelling anywhere in the world because the disease had started to spread in the UK. It was already a crisis in Italy, so players were a bit apprehensive of going for the tournament. With health and safety being a priority, the players decided it would be best for them to skip the all England championship. DSD: In hindsight do you think all of you took a huge risk in travelling to Birmingham for the All England Championships? It is a very prestigious championship and one of your most memorable triumphs as well. Gopichand: I was clear I didn't want to go, nor did I want the players to travel.but it was the players' choice which prevailed and I obviously had to go with them. I didn't have an option. My initial plan was not to go, but at the last moment our Korean coach Park Tae Sang wasn't able to travel due to some restrictions and some members of the support staff also dropped out. So it became mandatory for me to travel with the team. I think conducting the All England Championship was a huge risk. I was of that opinion before the tournament as well and still hold the same view. I did advise some players like HS Prannoy, Sameer Verma and Sourabh Verma against travelling for the tournament since it would not greatly affect their world rankings or Olympic qualification chances.from an organisational point of view, I do believe that the tournament should not have taken place DSD: You are a hard taskmaster so have you got some kind of online classes going for the players... Gopichand: We are using online platforms to have fitness sessions for all our players. There is a trainer who holds the morning session and there is a strength and conditioning session in the evening as well. We are roughly managing to do about 11 sessions in a week. Of course, it's not the same as being out on the court, but we have to make to with what we have. We have to keep ourselves in good shape physically and mentally during the lockdown. DSD: How essential is it not to lose your fitness during this period Gopi? Badminton is an extremely gruelling sport and if you are not hundred per cent it sort of shows on the court. Gopichand: Staying fit is of paramount importance during these times, any players who fail to maintain his or her physical fitness during the lockdown is going to suffer.players often have injuries, when they are not able to do much, but they are still able to do their mental training, visualisation and a little bit of strengthening. Some of these things do not require much space, what you need is a yearning to learn. In terms of the badminton calendar, we don't know what the scenario is or what it will be after in six months or a year. All we can do is that ensure the players are in good physical shape whenever it starts. I've always maintained this mantra, that the 'process is the goal'. So, even during the lockdown, the players must prepare and be ready for the next tournament whenever that may be. DSD: Do you have any sort of an indication as to when the calendar will resume? As things stand even October 2020 seems a stretch especially with long term travel restrictions in place. Gopichand: We can speculate all we want, but I would rather focus on being prepared for whenever tournaments return. The players have to keep busy during the lockdown and train hard every day in whatever capacity they can, that's all we can do at the moment. Action could return in October 2020, or in October 2021, its just speculation at the moment. With or without the lockdown, the process should be the goal. Athletes have to keep themselves motivated and push themselves day in and day out, with whatever resources they have. DSD: At some point, the global calendar will resume but will it fair, I have heard that in a few countries where the virus has been contained practice is on like China and Chinese Taipei and those players will be the main rivals for our players. Gopichand: Sport has never been fair. It is the best of what an athlete can make of whatever circumstances he or she has been given and the players who have the best facilities available to them don't always win. The scenario is also not as bad as some people might think. Right now tournaments have been suspended till July. But if BWF were to announce that tournaments would resume after that, there would be at least a two month notice period for all the players, since the various arrangements would have to be made for travel, accommodation and training. So I think that time is sufficient for players to prepare if their physical fitness has not deteriorated during the lockdown. DSD: Let’s get to the Olympics now and the way things were shaping up would you consider it a positive thing for Indian badminton considering we were probably going to have just 2 entries had the games gone ahead as per schedule. Gopichand: Yes, I think most coaches would have agreed to postpone the games for a year. Last year was extremely hectic and players were hardly getting any time to train, and only a small part of the qualification period was left. Now with the whole year available to the players, it is a good time for them to rest, train and get back. DSD: I must say that I found the BWF leadership during the crisis extremely shoddy. The Olympic qualifying process is sacrosanct and it is four years of toil for a player. I do not think they were being fair by denying opportunities to players with so many cancellations happening. What do you think? Gopichand: The Olympic qualification period was ending in April, and tournaments had been suspended from the second week of March. So there were about eight weeks to go for the qualification period the BWF still hasn't announced the new qualification norms. I would want to see them consider the 44 weeks of the qualification period that had been completed since all the players and coaches assumed that those would form apart of the qualifiers. The rest of the eight weeks that were left should be adjusted, so whatever tournaments that have been lost should take place either next year in March and April or sometime this year. Every tournament that was suspended should be replaced with an equally graded tournament. I would believe that the BWF would be planning something like that, so players won't have to pay for the tournament cancellations. DSD: World Athletics has stopped all Olympic qualifying till December 1. What sort of timelines should the BWF come up with considering that the IOC deadline is June end of 2021? Should there be a 10-tournament swing starting December to decide on the Olympic berths perhaps? Gopichand: I believe that the 44 weeks of the Olympic qualification period that has been completed, should be frozen. In badminton, the Olympic spots are not determined by a particular tournament or event, they are decided by an aggregate number of points. In that kind of scenario, it makes sense to retain he ranking for the already-completed period, and the remaining tournaments that were part of the qualifiers can take place in the same months next year.one of the dangers of this lockdown is that the players who are in a comfortable position to qualify at the moment, might get complacent and not train enough. So because their slot is all but confirmed, those players might not perform at the highest level at the tournaments. I think whatever new qualification norms the BWF announces, it is bound to be criticised by various nations because those countries will look at the process from their own perspective with regards to how the norms will benefit their players' chances of qualification. But I think it is fair to give time to the BWF to decide on the new norms. DSD: Do you also have to recalibrate your approach that has worked so well in the last. Ahead of an Olympics you usually work intensely for two to three months with the players. And it has paid off in London 2012 and Rio 2016. I am not sure you will get that much time for 2021 especially if the qualifying race gets tight. Gopichand: I think the situation is different when compared to the 2008, 2012 or 2016 Olympics, the players are at a different level. We have foreign coaches and specialised event coaches as part of our support staff. So this time my role will be different. I will look at things more closely when the tournament schedule is out and decide on the best plan for each player. DSD: Abhinav Bindra told me a few weeks back that the experienced players will cope with this delay better than the younger ones. For example, this works out very well for Kento Momota who was recovering from that car accident in Malaysia. Is it time for the best minds in Indian sport to get together and chart out a collective way forward. Every sport is currently in its own cocoon but I think when it comes to the mental approach you can learn from shooting, perhaps hockey can be able to share more tips about fitness. Since the Sports Authority of India pays most salaries the ministry can get everyone together for a two to three-day summit. Can that work? Gopichand: I think the next few months will be very critical. Right now the lockdown is till may 3rd, but it could very well be extended. Our athletes might not get tournament exposure for the next few months at least. It will definitely help if top sporting minds come together to work out a plan that will benefit all Indian athletes. It might even be a good idea to look at a quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls from all sports. For example, since inter-city travel is not possible, athletes from the same city can stay at a facility which allows them to train for the upcoming events. We might also have to plan for domestic leagues and tournaments because restrictions in India could be lifted before those of other countries. Since global tournaments would not be taking place, there will be a need to replace those with quality domestic competitions to make up for the loss of international exposure. We are going through an unprecedented crisis, so adjustments need to be made. For example, I had never used a mobile phone application for training, but we are forced to do that now and that has become the norm. So we are looking at different ways to help the players enhance their skills during this lockdown. Adaptability is the key, we have to make quick decisions and think out of the box

Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on  postponed Games and more

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Digvijay Singh Deo

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