The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021.

India’s only Olympic gold medallist and now an entrepreneur, Abhinav Bindra, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on the postponed Games, how Japan is going to overcome the setback and the cost of pushing the quadrennial event back by a year.

Bindra said that the decision to postpone was a real positive move by the IOC considering the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as the Padma Bhushan awardee said the athletes were getting really anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games while adding the announcement comes&nbsp;a huge relief for the athletes. &nbsp; &nbsp;

“I think the decision has been made pretty quickly, only two weeks back there was a lot of uncertainty about the games getting postponed. The International Olympic Committee has taken a very prompt decision. They initially came up with a four-week deadline to make the call and didn't even use all of it and took a decision within 2 days. They have already revealed the new dates for the games in 2021 which is very good for the athletes. The athletes were getting extremely anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games. They would have continued to train if the game were not postponed, thereby putting their lives and their families at risk. So it is a very good decision to postpone and I am happy it was taken very quickly,” Bindra told WION.

The decision to postpone the Olympics wasn’t easy at all. With a lot riding on the events, fresh logistical nightmares are bound to crop up after the Games were postponed by a year. The IOC has already indicated that the first priorities are the athletes’ village, venues and hotel bookings. &nbsp;

A decision to postpone the Olympic Games is not an easy one. There is just so much riding on the games and new logistical nightmares are bound to crop up when you push the Games back. Already the IOC has indicated that first priorities are the games village, sports venues and hotel bookings. However, Bindra is of the view that such a massive decision just can’t be taken by the IOC alone as it has to consult with all relevant stakeholders, government and sponsors before coming to a final decision.&nbsp;

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<h2>"A&nbsp;timely decision was taken"</h2>

“The decision cannot just be taken by the IOC, they have to consult all the relevant stakeholders, those are the organising committee, the government, and the many sponsors. Putting together the Olympic Games is an extremely complex process, keeping that in mind I think the decision to delay the Games was taken very quickly. There was a little bit of pressure being built by the media, but given the stakeholders involved and the magnitude of the event, a timely decision was taken,” Bindra opined.

The estimated cost of pushing the Tokyo Olympics is being pegged at around $3 Billion to $6 Billion, hence, there were many stating that the Japanese taxpayer will have to bear the brunt. However, with Japan taking up the responsibility and agreeing to bear the cost of the postponements, they deserve to be lauded. Bindra said that the Tokyo Games had the best-prepared event ever while lauding the effort by everyone working behind the scenes.&nbsp;

"Japan needs to be lauded for agreeing to bear the cost of the postponement of the Games. Do remember that due to the virus the economic outlook is pretty bleak but they have not flinched. It is extremely commendable, especially during these tough economic times for them to do that. The Japanese people are extremely determined and the preparations to the games have probably been the best ever. All the venues were ready well before time and they have done a fantastic job. They remain committed to hosting the best ever Olympics and I hope to come next year that will be the case," Bindra said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021.

The Tokyo Olympics were postponed by a year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) didn’t take much time to announce the rescheduled dates as the Games will now open on July 23, 2021, while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021. India’s only Olympic gold medallist and now an entrepreneur, Abhinav Bindra, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on the postponed Games, how Japan is going to overcome the setback and the cost of pushing the quadrennial event back by a year. Bindra said that the decision to postpone was a real positive move by the IOC considering the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic as the Padma Bhushan awardee said the athletes were getting really anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games while adding the announcement comes a huge relief for the athletes. “I think the decision has been made pretty quickly, only two weeks back there was a lot of uncertainty about the games getting postponed. The International Olympic Committee has taken a very prompt decision. They initially came up with a four-week deadline to make the call and didn't even use all of it and took a decision within 2 days. They have already revealed the new dates for the games in 2021 which is very good for the athletes. The athletes were getting extremely anxious due to the uncertainty surrounding the Games. They would have continued to train if the game were not postponed, thereby putting their lives and their families at risk. So it is a very good decision to postpone and I am happy it was taken very quickly,” Bindra told WION. The decision to postpone the Olympics wasn’t easy at all. With a lot riding on the events, fresh logistical nightmares are bound to crop up after the Games were postponed by a year. The IOC has already indicated that the first priorities are the athletes’ village, venues and hotel bookings. A decision to postpone the Olympic Games is not an easy one. There is just so much riding on the games and new logistical nightmares are bound to crop up when you push the Games back. Already the IOC has indicated that first priorities are the games village, sports venues and hotel bookings. However, Bindra is of the view that such a massive decision just can’t be taken by the IOC alone as it has to consult with all relevant stakeholders, government and sponsors before coming to a final decision. × "A timely decision was taken" “The decision cannot just be taken by the IOC, they have to consult all the relevant stakeholders, those are the organising committee, the government, and the many sponsors. Putting together the Olympic Games is an extremely complex process, keeping that in mind I think the decision to delay the Games was taken very quickly. There was a little bit of pressure being built by the media, but given the stakeholders involved and the magnitude of the event, a timely decision was taken,” Bindra opined. The estimated cost of pushing the Tokyo Olympics is being pegged at around $3 Billion to $6 Billion, hence, there were many stating that the Japanese taxpayer will have to bear the brunt. However, with Japan taking up the responsibility and agreeing to bear the cost of the postponements, they deserve to be lauded. Bindra said that the Tokyo Games had the best-prepared event ever while lauding the effort by everyone working behind the scenes. "Japan needs to be lauded for agreeing to bear the cost of the postponement of the Games. Do remember that due to the virus the economic outlook is pretty bleak but they have not flinched. It is extremely commendable, especially during these tough economic times for them to do that. The Japanese people are extremely determined and the preparations to the games have probably been the best ever. All the venues were ready well before time and they have done a fantastic job. They remain committed to hosting the best ever Olympics and I hope to come next year that will be the case," Bindra said.

Exclusive: 'Timely decision was taken' - Abhinav Bindra on Tokyo Olympics postponement

Former Liverpool captain and England international John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, resumption of Premier League, Project Restart, home ground vs neutral venues, Liverpool's stunning campaign, transfer marker post-pandemic, and much more.

Former Liverpool captain and England international John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, resumption of Premier League, Project Restart, home ground vs neutral venues, Liverpool's stunning campaign, transfer marker post-pandemic, and much more. Digvijay Singh Deo: Thank you for your time John, really appreciate you joining us from England. How has this lockdown life been for you? John Barnes: The lockdown has been great for me personally because I like a quiet life. Obviously the global circumstances are extremely unfortunate because the virus is causing so much damage. I am a homebody, I sometimes take long walks around my house and this lockdown suits me perfectly. Most people are bored because they aren't able to go out and lead a social life, but it has been absolutely no problem for me. DSD: The numbers coming out of the UK have been pretty scary. How has this pandemic and the high number of cases affected the daily lives of people... John Barnes: If you look at the two biggest hit countries, the UK and USA, citizens of both nations have a very strong sense of individual freedom and human rights. People there don't like governments telling them exactly what to do. However, in a global health crisis, there is a need for people to be extremely vigilant and curb their freedom to some degree for their health and safety. It is also a time when people must adhere to strict health protocols. Those countries which have initiated strict lockdown measures and been stronger with their citizens have dealt with the crisis better than the US & UK. So, it doesn't surprise me that the US & UK have been the worst hit coronavirus countries because of the citizens' perception of their human rights. DSD: Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand told me last month that the world was moving too fast and the virus took advantage. What for you should be the learning we take on board from this pandemic? John Barnes: Well this is not the first time in history that such a devastating crisis has taken place. Worse disasters have happened. In those times as well, people must have hoped that the world would learn to live in peace while spreading the message of love and unity. But what lessons did humanity learn? Nothing. In the past, people have vowed to learn certain lessons from various crises but have failed to act on them. People always end up becoming their normal selfish selves after a period of time. We should not need a pandemic to teach us lessons of love, unity and respect. We should show these traits all the time when the world isn't in such a crisis. So, I am hopeful that people will learn from this experience, but there aren't many reasons to be optimistic about that if you look at our history. Unfortunately, I think once we get back to our normal lives, even if it is a 'new normal', we are still going to see people being greedy and selfish. DSD: Football and footballers have had close shaves too. Your former teammate and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish too had the coronavirus and that would have been an early wake-up call for all you senior footballers. John Barnes: No one is safe, it doesn't matter how much money you make or what race you belong to, everyone is susceptible to the virus. There are certain people in the west who think they are 'untouchable' and they have been so in the past in terms of the impact that other people or things can have on their lives, but that is not the case now. There are some 'superior people', who are always immune to problems because of the socio-economic structure of the world. But when a health crisis like this happens, everyone becomes 'touchable'. I have sympathy for everyone who has been affected by the disease, not just Kenny Dalglish. I have two children who are doctors and working tirelessly for the national health service, fortunately, they are safe. It is a time for people to come together and show empathy with everyone, not just a particular group of people because they are famous or part of an elite group. DSD: More than 2 months now since the premier league was suspended. It has been tough for a lot of people associated with the sport with the layoffs and pay cuts. Is it time now for the season to resume? John Barnes: Only if it is safe to do so. Thousands of people, who are not footballers and don't work in the football industry, have lost their jobs, so why are we separating football from the rest of society. Why are we feeling more sorry for footballers as opposed to factory workers? It's not just important for footballers to get back to action, it is important for all of us to get back to our lives. Players in the lower divisions are struggling, but premier league footballers can probably financially sustain themselves for the next year without getting back to work. Whereas most people in the world, who do not have such high-paying jobs cannot afford to do that. The most important thing for us is to be relatively safe from the coronavirus. If we wait for the virus to completely disappear, then we might not return to competitive football in the next few years. At the moment, it is impossible for anyone to guarantee 100% safety of players, coaches and fans from the coronavirus. Eventually, we will have to get back to some sort of normality and that will be when the health risks involved in playing football are mitigated to a certain extent. Once we get used to the new normal, then we will adapt to the circumstances, that is how human beings have survived for hundreds and thousands of years. We aren't the strongest or biggest creatures, but we have dominated the planet because we have adapted better than any other species and that is what we will continue to do. DSD: Project Restart is on in full earnest, full training will begin soon. But players remain apprehensive and rightfully so, as we have seen with the likes of Troy Deeney and N’golo Kante, do you think they have put their family ahead of the commercial interest of the sport.? John Barnes: I believe that it's not a question about commercial interests, it is about whether an individual feels it is safe enough for him to go back to work. I support Troy Deeney and N'golo Kante with the decision they have taken, but I also support those players who have started training. There are no right or wrong decisions in this situation. It will be impossible to get the approval of every footballer to return to training because there are some who are bound to feel uncomfortable. The authorities have to come up with a detailed training plan for the clubs in a certain time frame and then let the player decide if he wants to return to training or not. We have to respect the individual's choice in the matter. Once again, this problem is not limited to footballers. Factory workers will be facing the same dilemma, but because of the current financial crisis, they will be willing to take health risks because they can't afford to forego their wages, whereas a top-level footballer probably can. DSD: We have seen the Bundesliga start and La Liga is headed for a June 11 restart as well. On paper, the Bundesliga's concept seems to be working - but should the Premier League follow? Because England appears to be behind Germany and even Spain in the fight against the coronavirus? John Barnes: Absolutely. Any authority must look at the state of affairs in their own country and then make an informed decision with proper government and medical advice, and I think that is what the Premier League is doing. It would be unwise to just blindly follow the German Bundesliga template because the situation in England is unfortunately completely different. DSD: What have you made of what we have seen in the Bundesliga - football in the COVID era - I found it rather bizarre that the players are being made to socially distance on the substitutes benches even though many of them end up on the pitch together at some point. John Barnes: These are unprecedented times and necessary compromises have to be made for football to get back. We are not going to be able to get back to the sport as we knew it before the pandemic, so we have to adapt, there is no other option. If that means having no fans in the stadium and adhering to certain protocols, then those steps have to be taken for the game to take place. We cannot wait for the time when it will be safe to resume football as it were before the crisis, because if we do then we won't get to see the game we love for years. DSD: Lots of debate in England about playing at home grounds or neutral venues when the season resumes.where do you stand on this - a big part of home advantage is the fans, so if they are not around - should it be such a big talking point? John Barnes: The advantage of playing at your home stadium is not just limited to having the fans on your side, it is also about being in a comfortable environment. If the fans are not present in the stadium, the home team will still have an advantage because the players are familiar with the dressing room, the pitch and they have a routine which they follow on a home match-day, since they are coming from their own houses and not from a team hotel. There are some who feel that if matches are held at home stadiums, then fans will congregate around those arenas during and after the matches, which will defeat the purpose of holding games behind-closed-doors. This is again a problem that you will probably only see only in the UK & us because of the sense of entitlement that people have about certain freedoms. That would have not been a danger if matches were being held in some other country. So the authorities maybe do not trust the fans to stay at home on match-days and in order to avoid those large gatherings outside stadiums, they are planning to hold the matches at distant neutral venues, which would ensure that such congregations do not take place. DSD: Another big concern around the restart is the susceptibility to injuries. We've seen in the Bundesliga that more players are getting injured every match - in the Premier League, managers are warning against rushing to action in mid-June, saying players need 4 weeks of proper training. Are you concerned that the restart plans are being rushed? John Barnes: I don't think that is an exceptional concern. The players have still continued their individual fitness training at home, they have just not been playing football, so they are still in good shape. Players will probably have a month of on-ground training before they start competing again, so the situation is very similar to what we see in pre-season. During the off-season, players usually have a six-week break when they go on holiday and there is an obvious drop in their fitness levels. However, in this case, the players have not been on holiday and they have in fact continued their fitness sessions at home. So I don't see any reason that suggests there will be an exceptional increase in the number of injuries because of this break. There are bound to be 'natural' injuries in the game, which would happen with or without this enforced break. DSD: Lots of uncertainty at the moment but one thing for certain is that Liverpool will be crowned Premier League champions for the first time since your team in 1990. Will, it be the albatross off the neck? John Barnes: Hopefully the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the premier league can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months. As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the premier league. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and champions league title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there. DSD: Liverpool were almost there last season, but lost by just a point to a great Manchester City team. To have the intensity to bounce back from that near-miss and go unbeaten till February has been remarkable, as of now they sit 25 points clear at the top. John Barnes: Liverpool only lost one premier league match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City were just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season. In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the champions league crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the champions league in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. DSD: Have Liverpool sort of set the benchmark now in the league about the way they have gone about rebuilding in the last 5-6 years. Jurgen Klopp was given time and club backed him in the players he wanted. The patience has been rewarded. John Barnes: This has always been the recipe for success. Sir Alex Ferguson was given time by Manchester United, he had the complete support and trust of the board, which is why he was able to build such a great side. Chelsea did the same with Jose Mourinho in his first spell and were richly rewarded with trophies. Clubs will be successful if they give their manager the right resources and a sufficient amount of time to build a team. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and manchester city have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players. If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Jurgen Klopp. Similarly, if he drops mo salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and manchester city, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. DSD: What will that league title mean to the fans and the city of Liverpool? John Barnes: Well, it won't mean much to half of the city, because they are Everton fans and they'll be quite disappointed. For us Liverpool fans, it'll be pure joy, but only until the next season starts. The club has to forget about the championship as soon as the first ball is kicked next season. The team has to show the same hunger for the title next season to remain champions of England. It'll be unbelievable for me and the city of Liverpool but once the next season begins, it must be forgotten. DSD: Lots of talk about Sadio Mane moving on, Timo Werner and Kylian Mbappe linked. Are Liverpool today on the same level as Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of attracting players. John Barnes: Every club is a selling club in modern football. A club like Barcelona was forced to sell Neymar. What attracts footballers today is the salaries that they are going to get. Whoever the player may be, whether it be Sadio \Mmane or Mo Salah if anyone is offered a million pounds per week by any club, then they will join that team regardless of their quality or standing, that is the reality of modern football. We have had so many fantastic players leave the Liverpool- Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho. It is great that Liverpool have a bit of muscle now because of the on-field success, but ultimately players come and players go. I always tell the fans to support the club and not the players. A player must not be compelled to stay at a club against his own will, because that will make the player feel more powerful than the club and hence it will make him less accountable for his performances on the pitch. The good thing is that I can guarantee that such a situation will not arise under Klopp because of the control he has over the players and the club. Players know they cannot overstep their mark with him in charge. DSD: How do you see the pandemic affecting the transfer market? John Barnes: The big-money moves look unlikely in the short-term. Clubs will be worried about long-term financial stability. I'm hoping clubs learn to exercise some restraint in the future because of the coronavirus crisis, given the financially precarious situation the game is in right now. Hopefully, it will be a long-term change and not a short-term one. You never know, we just might get back to players being sold for 300 million euros in a few years. It is also the responsibility of the game as a whole to manage finances better. It should not be possible for a rich organisation to purchase a club and just buy all the best players in the world, that is not what sport and competition is about. There has to be a level-playing field and a structure in place to ensure that clubs do not misuse their finances, DSD: Ok before we let you go, Jordan Henderson said it would be strange to win the Premier League title without fans. That’s the reality of sport across the globe. How would John Barnes celebrate Henderson and the team lifting that trophy? John Barnes: I will celebrate with a small glass of wine and I'll be excited for about 20 seconds like I was last season after Liverpool won the Champions League crown. The triumph will soon be forgotten. The team must chase that title again next year. The way the players and the club treat this season's success will determine how successful the club will be next season. From a fan's perspective, it is going to be a fantastic achievement, but from a professional point of view, I would want the players to forget about the title as soon as the next season begins.

John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait.&nbsp;

Not only the United Kingdom but the entire world has witnessed unprecedented scenarios created by the dreaded COVID-19. While some countries have tackled it well and are heading towards the resumption of normal activities, the Premier League will come as a fresh breath of air for fans of the most-watched league in the world.&nbsp;

Former Liverpool captain John Barnes, in an exclusive interview&nbsp;with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo,&nbsp;spoke on a range of topics as he discussed&nbsp;Liverpool’s stellar season and what separated them from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.&nbsp;

Read the complete interview:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/john-barnes-liverpool-on-the-verge-of-starting-another-great-era-of-domination-301606" hreflang="en">John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination</a>

Liverpool came mighty close to lifting the Premier League trophy last season only to see Manchester City topple them for the coveted title by just one point. However, Liverpool went on to lift their sixth UEFA Champions Trophy and the Club World Cup last season in what was regarded as a splendid season for the Reds.&nbsp;

While Manchester City faltered in the 2019-20 season, Liverpool maintained the consistency and took a&nbsp;25-point lead atop the Premier League table and when the most-watched league in the world resumes, the Reds will look to complete the formality and put the red bands on the Premier League trophy, ending a two-season winning run for Guardiola's Man City.

Barnes hopes that Klopp will continue to motivate the players and win more trophies in future while adding that this could be a start of another great era for the Reds.&nbsp;

"Hopefully, the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the Premier League can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months," Barnes said.&nbsp;

"As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the Premier League. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and Champions League title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there," the former Liverpool skipper added.

<img alt="Liverpool" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c11c4b22-dcd2-45a3-bafa-fb7cdf5b1547" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1O90DU.jpg" />

Interestingly, Liverpool have lost just one Premier League in the 2018-19 season in what has been termed as one of the greatest seasons, if not the greatest, in the history of English top-flight football. Barnes is of the view that Man City suffered a dip due to injuries to key defenders, whereas Liverpool have learned not to take that foot off the gas during crucial moments in the league. The former left-winger, who also played as an attacking midfielder, said Klopp has maximised club's potential to be consistent.

"Liverpool only lost one Premier League match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City was just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because of they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season.

"In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the Champions League crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and Manchester City have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players," Barnes said.

How Klopp and Guardiola have taken control of their respective clubs is something English football has been lacking for a while. Both the managers, highly respected, have authority over their players and that has come as a welcome step for both Liverpool and Man City as they become the two of the most dominating sides in the history of English and world football.

"If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Klopp. Similarly, if he drops Mo Salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and Manchester City, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important," Barnes explained.

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait.

The Premier League is gearing up for resumption of the 2019-20 season after the clubs unanimously voted in favour of contact training on Wednesday. The English top-flight league is eyeing June 19/20 as the possible dates for the return of the halted season and, in all likelihood, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will be crowned champions of England after a 30-year wait. Not only the United Kingdom but the entire world has witnessed unprecedented scenarios created by the dreaded COVID-19. While some countries have tackled it well and are heading towards the resumption of normal activities, the Premier League will come as a fresh breath of air for fans of the most-watched league in the world. Former Liverpool captain John Barnes, in an exclusive interview with WION’s Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a range of topics as he discussed Liverpool’s stellar season and what separated them from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Read the complete interview: John Barnes: Liverpool on the verge of starting another great era of domination Liverpool came mighty close to lifting the Premier League trophy last season only to see Manchester City topple them for the coveted title by just one point. However, Liverpool went on to lift their sixth UEFA Champions Trophy and the Club World Cup last season in what was regarded as a splendid season for the Reds. While Manchester City faltered in the 2019-20 season, Liverpool maintained the consistency and took a 25-point lead atop the Premier League table and when the most-watched league in the world resumes, the Reds will look to complete the formality and put the red bands on the Premier League trophy, ending a two-season winning run for Guardiola's Man City. Barnes hopes that Klopp will continue to motivate the players and win more trophies in future while adding that this could be a start of another great era for the Reds. "Hopefully, the season will start soon. There are a lot of people who are pushing for the season to be scrapped and straightaway begins the next campaign, which is ridiculous. The German Bundesliga plans to finish the current campaign by the end of June, which leaves them with more than enough time to begin the next season as scheduled. So the Premier League can also easily follow that precedent and finish the current season in about six weeks or two months," Barnes said. "As for Liverpool, I think unless there is a calamity, they are going to crowned champions. I think it's not just about this season, the team cannot take their foot off the gas and rest on their laurels if they do manage to win the Premier League. A true marker of success is being able to win trophies for a sustained period of time. The team will enjoy the triumph, but then the focus should shift to the next season. Jurgen Klopp will hopefully drive the players to maintain such levels of performance in the years to come. I hope this is the start of another great era in the history of the club when the Reds can challenge for the domestic league title and Champions League title every season, as they did in the past. The league triumph will no doubt be fantastic for the club, but the success must not stop there," the former Liverpool skipper added. Interestingly, Liverpool have lost just one Premier League in the 2018-19 season in what has been termed as one of the greatest seasons, if not the greatest, in the history of English top-flight football. Barnes is of the view that Man City suffered a dip due to injuries to key defenders, whereas Liverpool have learned not to take that foot off the gas during crucial moments in the league. The former left-winger, who also played as an attacking midfielder, said Klopp has maximised club's potential to be consistent. "Liverpool only lost one Premier League match in the 2018-19 season as well, so it is not as if they are performing considerably better than last year. In fact, I think Liverpool were playing better football last season, but Manchester City was just unstoppable. This season, there has been a dip in city's performances, largely because of they have lost key defensive players to injury. Whereas Liverpool have continued to be consistent, so I think nothing has changed from last season. "In the 2018-19 campaign, Liverpool missed out on the league title despite having 97 points, but still won the Champions League crown. This season Liverpool have been knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout stages, but are well on their way to win the league crown, so Jurgen Klopp has maximised the club's potential to be consistent. Manchester City have been inconsistent this season, whereas Liverpool have been consistent, that's the difference. Those two teams are still superior to the other teams in the league. It comes as no surprise to me that Liverpool and Manchester City have been the two most successful clubs in England over the last two years, because the manager in both those clubs is truly the man in charge, the power doesn't lie with the owners or the players," Barnes said. How Klopp and Guardiola have taken control of their respective clubs is something English football has been lacking for a while. Both the managers, highly respected, have authority over their players and that has come as a welcome step for both Liverpool and Man City as they become the two of the most dominating sides in the history of English and world football. "If Liverpool lose a game, the fans aren't going to blame Klopp. Similarly, if he drops Mo Salah, the club won't get on his back because the players realise that he is the man in charge and the ultimate decision lies with him. At other clubs, when the team loses, the blame is put on the manager rather than the players, which makes the footballers feel more empowered and in a way makes them less accountable. At Liverpool and Manchester City, players will be criticised for poor performances and not just the managers. The most important thing is that the players should know that the manager is the man in charge. Player power is now a big issue all over the world, where players are seen as more important than the managers. The clubs in which the players have been calling the shots have been inconsistent. A manager's role is undermined when the players are made to seem more important," Barnes explained.

John Barnes: League title will be fantastic for Liverpool but success must not stop here

Sporting world have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost every tournament either cancelled or posponed. The Tokyo Olympics was postponed till 2021 and there are murmurs that the Games may not be held next year if the world is unable to find a vaccine for the dreaded virus.

Sporting world have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic with almost every tournament either cancelled or posponed. The Tokyo Olympics was postponed till 2021 and there are murmurs that the Games may not be held next year if the world is unable to find a vaccine for the dreaded virus. Badminton is one of the sports to be affected the most by the pandemic with numerous events suspended. The reigning queen of world badminton, PV Sindhu, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up on life in lockdown, badminton post-lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, the rise of women's badminton, the role of mental strength in the world of sports, and much more. × Digvijay Singh Deo: Sindhu, good to see you smiling as always, how have you been? Sindhu: Well it has been nice actually because this experience is something completely new for me. Since I am usually travelling a lot, I don't get to spend much time with my parents, so it is nice to be able to do that and learn new things. I'm trying to stay positive during the break, I understand that it can be difficult being locked indoors, but it has been a welcome break for me and I'm enjoying it. DSD: Social distancing is extremely vital Sindhu but you also stay with elderly parents, so how are the daily essentials being managed at home? Sindhu: We have actually been practising social distancing since I came back from England in early March. All of us stayed in separate rooms for 21 days and even now we are maintaining a considerable physical distance while we are inside the house. Initially, for those 21 days, I couldn't even meet my nephew or sister in that period. Fortunately, we live in a gated society, so we do not need to leave our colony for any essential services. DSD: Life as a badminton player is one of extreme practice, for you usually the day begins at 4:30 in the morning at times so how have you controlled that urge of staying indoors? Sindhu: Well it is difficult to adjust to this new life.before the lockdown, my life revolved around training and playing tournaments. I obviously do not have the opportunity to train outdoors, but I am working on my physical fitness at home. My father helps me with my training at home and I am in constant touch with my trainer through video calls. Apart from that, I am trying to learn new skills and attempting to make the most of my time away from badminton. I am definitely missing the game and being out there on the court, but I understand the need of the hour is for people to stay at home. It is the right decision that has been taken by the government and we must adhere to their guidelines. DSD: None of us has a choice at the moment Sindhu but has this period been of one of reflection for you. You still have a good many years ahead of you but its been a pretty impressive career so far, four straight finals in major tournaments and a first global title for Indian badminton... Sindhu: I must say this lockdown is a welcome break. When I was 18 or 19, many people used to ask me whether I had a life away from badminton, since I was not able to do much else. So this break is giving me a taste of life on the other side and I'm happy to be able to spend quality time with my family. DSD: Usually badminton players raise it a notch when a big tournament approaches, so right now with no tournament on the horizon how are you dealing with this period of uncertainty? Sindhu: I think every athlete was working hard ahead of the Olympics because there were only a few months left for the showpiece event when the virus started to spread. I feel the correct decision was made regarding the Olympic postponement because we cannot endanger the health of so many people. I'm sure it is a problem for some of the athletes because it means restructuring your entire plan for the games. But we cannot control the prevailing situation and there is bound to be uncertainty in these times because we don't know when badminton will resume. But athletes can still work on their physical fitness and remain focussed. It is important to stay in shape because once the sport resumes if it will be tough for players to perform well unless they have maintained their fitness. DSD: You stay in a gated community, so are you managing to go for a run? Sindhu: Yes, I have recently started going for a run inside my community, but have not stepped out of the society on to the main streets. When I returned from England, I was initially in self-isolation for 15 days, but then officials from the health department instructed me to remain indoors for five more days. I realised how important these precautionary measures were and followed the government's guidelines. We have to ensure that we religiously follow the rules for our health as a society. DSD: I did see you hitting the shuttle against the wall in an attempt to keep the skill levels up, is that the biggest worry of staying sharp till this lockdown ends... Sindhu: I think the skill level of all badminton players is bound to go down because of the lack of training. But there are various exercises one can do stay sharp, these can be shadow practice sessions or wall exercises. It is important to not lose touch while playing with the shuttle. But overall, players will be a bit rusty when they return to the circuit and will take some time for all of us to perform at the top level. DSD: As a badminton player and as an elite athlete what are the areas that you think all players will struggle when this period ends… Sindhu: I think athletes will struggle, both in terms of fitness and skill. Players will need some amount of game training before they can get into the natural shot-making rhythm. Movement is crucial for badminton players and the mobility of the players will be affected post the lockdown. Our stamina levels will also go down because of the lack of on-court action. It will take time to build our endurance levels as well. There is, of course, some aspects of our game which we can work on indoors, but ultimately nothing can replace on-court training. So overall. I think it will be a mental, physical and skill-based challenge for all players when we return. DSD: How long in your opinion will it take for the top athletes to return to their peak levels once the lockdown ends? Sindhu: I think it will take a considerable amount of time. Every player has a distinct style of play, so the way they approach the game is different. Every player also has a different endurance level and that will determine how they deal with things once the lockdown ends. So there is no a specific time frame I can give in which the players will return to their peak levels, it completely depends on the fitness and ability of the player. DSD: As a badminton player what are the precautions you would advise your fellow team-mates and even young players to follow.obviously the mandatory handshakes will have to go for the time being. as Rafael Nadal said even giving your best friend a hug when you see them after ages is not going to be allowed. Sindhu: I think social distancing rules should be continued for an extended period of time, even in the world of sport. Pre-match and post-match handshakes should be avoided once sport resumes. We cannot take a casual approach towards the coronavirus even when it is safe to restart sporting activities. We must take basic precautionary measures like wearing masks or carrying hand sanitizer at all times with us. But most importantly our attitude towards the virus should not change once things start opening up, some precautions must be taken otherwise the virus will continue to spread. DSD: For a majority of sportspersons across the world the big goal this year was the Olympic Games. You have fond memories of the Olympics of course and your track record in big tournaments is outstanding. So for you personally was the postponement a huge disappointment or had you mentally prepared yourself for the announcement given the situation? Sindhu: When the virus started spreading rapidly and became a global threat, the thought did enter my mind that there was a possibility of the Olympics being postponed. So when the announcement was made, it wasn't a complete shock. But at the same time, till the official announcement was made, I kept preparing for the July 2020 Olympics because you cannot afford to lose any time ahead of the biggest event in the sporting world. It was obviously the right decision because it is impossible to travel and hold tournaments during a global health crisis. Our rankings have also been frozen, and whatever decision the badminton world federation takes regarding the Olympic qualification will have to be respected. DSD: There has been continuous messaging that the Olympics may not be held next year as well if the world is unable to find a vaccine. As an elite athlete how disturbing is that thought? Sindhu: Yes it is difficult to process that if a vaccine does not come up, then the Tokyo Olympics might not even be held. But even if that is the case, our health always has to be the top priority. It is difficult to say what the global situation will be in a year, so things are very uncertain. As of now, we have no idea when the tournaments will begin. I don't think the dates for any major event can be set in stone right now and we can only speculate. We must wait for the situation to improve. I believe the decision on the 2021 Olympics will also not be made until we have more clarity, which will obviously be sometime next year. DSD: Every sport is different and has different preparations, Sindhu. The boxers usually are aggressive and have more swagger, from your experience in badminton what is the correct mental preparation for the Olympics and World Championships? Sindhu: In a big tournament like the Olympics, mental preparation plays an even bigger role in your performance. Rest is also key in the Olympics because there can be lots of distractions when you're playing at that level. There is also a lot of pressure. The approach to each game is different and you have to be confident of your abilities at that level. At the same time, one cannot be overconfident because every player aims to be at their peak during the showpiece event. So, each player has a different approach towards the Olympics, but hard-work and mental toughness are key. DSD: Also just to follow up on that how important is mental toughness on the court? You obviously head into every match believing you could win but many a time the opponent goes on a deep run, so how do you stay in the game? Sindhu: You cannot give up at any point during the match, one must have the confidence to turn things around at the top level. One the other hand, when you are leading, you can never get complacent and take your victory for granted. That is why your temperament plays a key role at the highest level. I always to aim to give my best as a player, winning and losing is secondary. My priority for every match is to go out there and give my absolute all for my country. There might be matches when a player performs brilliantly but falls to a defeat. There can even be occasions when luck doesn't favour you, but what must stay consistent is the effort that you put into a match. DSD: You had two high profile losses in the World Championship finals and I remember you in tears after losing to Carolina Marin in 2018 final. Yet when it came to 2019 final you absolutely thrashed Okuhara in the summit clash. What did you do differently? Sindhu: I was desperate for the world championship title. Having lost 2 world championship finals I was determined to put my final blues behind me and was better prepared mentally and physically. I was actually prepared for a long match against Japan's Nozomi Okuhara. I knew there would be a lot of pressure on me because of my past results, but I ensured that I turned everything out when I went on the court. From the first point in that match till the very last one, I gave my absolute all and that is why I was able to win in the manner that I did. That's what made the victory so sweet. DSD: There has been a slight dip in form in your performances since that world championship crown, was it expected given how much effort you put in to get that world title? Sindhu: Losing is part of the game and I must learn from the mistakes I made after the world championships. I was definitely disappointed with my performances, but at the same time, I tried not to obsess over my form since that can have an adverse effect and further deteriorate my results. I have also learnt to accept the fact that I will lose some games, no player in the world is capable of winning every match. In 2020, I reached the quarter-final in a couple of tournaments and was building confidence ahead of the Olympics. Before the postponement announcement, I approached all tournaments that I played in as preparation for the Olympics. My ultimate goal remains to win a gold medal at the games. When I lose, I try not to get too disheartened and when I win, I do not allow myself to get complacent. It is important to keep your feet on the ground and never lose belief in yourself. DSD: You constantly stay in touch with your fellow players, even those who are your immediate rivals and I still remember you on a see-saw with Yihan Wang the night of your Olympic final in Rio. How is the rest of the badminton world coping with this lockdown? Sindhu: Yes I am in touch with many Indian sportspersons and inquire about their well-being. I spoke with Carolina Marin as well, since Spain was badly hit by the virus. I think the lockdown measures in most countries are the same. Marin is also staying indoors and trying to make the best of use of her time. It is good to see various athletes from all sports posting motivational videos on social media. DSD: Right through last year we saw a bit of a gap opening up in women’s singles. There was Tai Tzu Ying who was dominating and there was very little to separate the next 7-8 players.Akane Yamaguchi, Okuhara, Ratchanok Intanon, the returning Marin, you. Is this the tightest field in women’s badminton that you have seen in your decade long career? Sindhu: Even before the 2016 Olympics, the women's game was very competitive, with a lot of top Chinese players. But since the 2016 Games, the level of competition has improved further. I think that is essential for the growth of women's badminton. As you said, it is great that any of the top ten players can beat each other on their day and all of them are capable of winning big tournaments. The pace of the game has also changed, it has become faster and more intense. Also, all top players have a different style of play, which is great for the game. Tai Tzu Ying is a very wristy, skilful player while Marin has a powerful attacking game. The level of competition is very high and hopefully, it will continue for a long time. DSD: You have had some great matches against Tai Tzu. You beat her at the Rio Olympics but she then went on a run against you.now when the losses pile up how do you keep believing that I can beat her. Ultimately you beat her at two of the biggest tournaments that matter, the world tour finals in 2018 and then the world championship last year... Sindhu: Yes it has been a very tough battle against her over the years. That world championship quarter-final victory last year gave me a lot of confidence to go on and win the whole tournament. I came back from a set down and eventually prevailed after the scores were locked at 19 all in the deciding set. Winning such a tight affair against a player like Tai Tzu Ying was really a turning point for me. DSD: Of all these players I mentioned though who is the most difficult to play against where you know that you have no breathing space and that every shot has to be perfect. Sindhu: I think every player presents a different challenge. But yes Tai Tzu Ying can produce that moment of magic at any point during the match, she is so skilful. Even Ratchanak Intanon is a very challenging player to face. The top ten are all players of the highest order and even one mistake can lead to a defeat. Every point in a match is crucial regardless of the quality of the opponent. DSD: Time to wind this down. What is on your bucket list the moment the lockdown is lifted and we can safely get on with our lives? Sindhu: I just want to be back on the court and start playing badminton again, as simple as that.

Exclusive: 'Level of competition is high, game is now faster and more intense' - PV Sindhu discusses rise of women's badminton, postponement of Olympics, and more

The decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics 2020 came after heavy pressure and criticism from athletes and sporting federations. The Games will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled on August 8, 2021.

While the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics was well received by almost everyone, there’s certain uncertainty that comes with the decision in regards to what will be the events for the year 2020 and how the roadmap for the Games are going to be planned given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19. There are slight concerns regarding the selection trials which have not been clarified, yet, by the sporting federations.

Apurvi Chandela, who was among the first set of Indian shooters to book an Olympic quota, spoke to WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, on the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics, how she is spending her time during the 21-day lockdown period and much more.

“Everyone’s at home. Due to my routine, I don’t get to spend much time at home. It is unfortunate what is going around in the world but now that we are in lockdown, I am spending quality time with my family and trying to make the most out of it,” Apurvi said.

Before the Games were actually postponed, there were massive speculations surrounding the quadrennial event. While many athletes were vocal and against the Games to go as per schedule, Apurvi said that she saw the decision coming while adding that she was just preparing herself for any decision.

“I saw it coming. There was a lot happening whether the Olympics will get postponed or cancelled, so I was just trying to gather it and prepare myself for any decision. But the thing is I can only focus on my preparation. Luckily, I have a shooting range at my home in my basement, although it is not that large but I am preparing myself and trying to keep myself fresh,” the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal winner said.

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The road to bag an Olympic quota was a hectic affair for Apurvi. She had to perform in every selection trials, every World Cup and maintain her position in the table to get the final nod to represent &nbsp;India in the Tokyo Olympics.

“Since I won the quota in 2018, I wasn’t sure that I will be the one representing my country as the quota comes for the nation. I still needed to maintain my position and until March the selection trials were going on. Like the last two years have gone for me, it will be same as I will be pushing myself every day,” Apurvi said.

“It does take a toll on us definitely. We go through so many selection trials, all our World Cups are counted. In March, we actually thought that all of us will come to an end and we will go to the Olympics finally but now that the Games are postponed the biggest challenge will be to stay up to the mark mentally,” she added.

However, while the decision to postpone Olympics comes mainly for the well-being of athletes and everyone associated with the Games, it brings a sense of uncertainty surrounding another year of planning and preparation.

“My support staff had everything planned. But now with everything postponed, we will sit again after the lockdown ends and the situation improves. We need to chalk down everything again and start from scratch.

“This is actually true. We still don’t know the decision of the selection committee and federation, how they will go ahead with selection trials. I am just focusing on preparing myself as that is only in my control,” Apurvi explained.

“Training is completely different as one needs to go and actually compete to know the results of your preparations and training. Had the Olympics happened now, none of us would have been able to actually compete before heading into the Games,” she added.

Now that everyone has been restricted to their respective residence, Apurvi is spending quality time with her family while helping her parents with some household work, which she doesn’t get to do due to her hectic schedule.

“We have divided our jobs. I do the brooming and mopping part. My dad takes care of the dogs and my mother does all the kitchen work. So far everything is working fine and we are spending good time together,” Apurvi concluded. &nbsp;

The decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics 2020 came after heavy pressure and criticism from athletes and sporting federations. The Games will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled on August 8, 2021.

The decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics 2020 came after heavy pressure and criticism from athletes and sporting federations. The Games will now open on July 23, 2021, with the closing ceremony scheduled on August 8, 2021. While the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics was well received by almost everyone, there’s certain uncertainty that comes with the decision in regards to what will be the events for the year 2020 and how the roadmap for the Games are going to be planned given the current scenario surrounding the COVID-19. There are slight concerns regarding the selection trials which have not been clarified, yet, by the sporting federations. Apurvi Chandela, who was among the first set of Indian shooters to book an Olympic quota, spoke to WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, on the decision to postpone the Tokyo Olympics, how she is spending her time during the 21-day lockdown period and much more. “Everyone’s at home. Due to my routine, I don’t get to spend much time at home. It is unfortunate what is going around in the world but now that we are in lockdown, I am spending quality time with my family and trying to make the most out of it,” Apurvi said. Before the Games were actually postponed, there were massive speculations surrounding the quadrennial event. While many athletes were vocal and against the Games to go as per schedule, Apurvi said that she saw the decision coming while adding that she was just preparing herself for any decision. “I saw it coming. There was a lot happening whether the Olympics will get postponed or cancelled, so I was just trying to gather it and prepare myself for any decision. But the thing is I can only focus on my preparation. Luckily, I have a shooting range at my home in my basement, although it is not that large but I am preparing myself and trying to keep myself fresh,” the 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medal winner said. × The road to bag an Olympic quota was a hectic affair for Apurvi. She had to perform in every selection trials, every World Cup and maintain her position in the table to get the final nod to represent India in the Tokyo Olympics. “Since I won the quota in 2018, I wasn’t sure that I will be the one representing my country as the quota comes for the nation. I still needed to maintain my position and until March the selection trials were going on. Like the last two years have gone for me, it will be same as I will be pushing myself every day,” Apurvi said. “It does take a toll on us definitely. We go through so many selection trials, all our World Cups are counted. In March, we actually thought that all of us will come to an end and we will go to the Olympics finally but now that the Games are postponed the biggest challenge will be to stay up to the mark mentally,” she added. However, while the decision to postpone Olympics comes mainly for the well-being of athletes and everyone associated with the Games, it brings a sense of uncertainty surrounding another year of planning and preparation. “My support staff had everything planned. But now with everything postponed, we will sit again after the lockdown ends and the situation improves. We need to chalk down everything again and start from scratch. “This is actually true. We still don’t know the decision of the selection committee and federation, how they will go ahead with selection trials. I am just focusing on preparing myself as that is only in my control,” Apurvi explained. “Training is completely different as one needs to go and actually compete to know the results of your preparations and training. Had the Olympics happened now, none of us would have been able to actually compete before heading into the Games,” she added. Now that everyone has been restricted to their respective residence, Apurvi is spending quality time with her family while helping her parents with some household work, which she doesn’t get to do due to her hectic schedule. “We have divided our jobs. I do the brooming and mopping part. My dad takes care of the dogs and my mother does all the kitchen work. So far everything is working fine and we are spending good time together,” Apurvi concluded.

Exclusive: 'I saw it coming' - Apurvi Chandela opens up on Tokyo Olympics postponement and life in lockdown

The Shooting Federation of India, the NRAI, has become the first sporting body in the country to suggest a postponement of the Olympic Games till November as the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues deteriorate with each passing day. While the COVID-19 has already shattered the sporting calendar, the discussions and debate relating to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has started to heat up.&nbsp;

<h2>WATCH: Should the Olympics be Postponed?&nbsp;In conversation with Digvijay singh Deo, Sports Editor, WION</h2>

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NRAI President Raninder Singh who is also the vice president of the International Shooting Federation commented on&nbsp;a post on WION’s YouTube channel. Here's what he said: 
<img alt="Raninder Singh comment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="53b362f3-db61-4a8f-9a1a-63bc93b406a1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Capture_5.JPG" />

India’s shooters have dominated world shooting in the last 18 months and a record 15 shooters have qualified for the Olympics.&nbsp;It was being estimated that India’s medal haul at the games would be powered by Indian shooters but with all training schedules disrupted and most sportspersons training in isolation Singh estimates that his team would need five to six months to return to peak performance.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-indias-leading-sporting-voices-prefer-olympic-postponement-287443">EXCLUSIVE: India's leading sporting voices prefer Olympic postponement</a>

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First big voice in Indian sport calling for a postponement of the Olympic Games to November. In a comment on <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WIONews</a> YouTube Channel <a href="https://twitter.com/RaninderSingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RaninderSingh</a> President <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialNRAI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialNRAI</a> and Vice President <a href="https://twitter.com/ISSF_Shooting?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ISSF_Shooting</a> says Indian shooters will need 5-6 months to come back into peak. <a href="https://t.co/Y0g9m32CUc">pic.twitter.com/Y0g9m32CUc</a>
— Digvijay Singh Deo (@DiggySinghDeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiggySinghDeo/status/1241248378396250113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Considering the prevailing situation Singh says that if the Olympics are delayed by more than two weeks From the July 24 start date then it makes sense to push back to November 2020. He further reminded the powers that be in world sport that even ten gold medals were not equal to the life of one man.

Furthermore, Heena Sidhu, the first Indian pistol shooter to win a gold medal in an ISSF World Cup finals, supported the idea of postponement by saying lives shouldn't be put on the line while hoping the IOC makes the right decision when the time comes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/japan-olympic-committee-official-urges-tokyo-2020-delay-287532">Japan Olympic Committee official urges Tokyo 2020 delay</a>

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I agree with <a href="https://twitter.com/DiggySinghDeo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DiggySinghDeo</a> a 100 percent. It may be early to make a decision right now but when the time comes I hope the IOC makes the right decision. Peoples lives shouldn't be put on the line. I hope they dont shy from postponing. <a href="https://twitter.com/iocmedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@iocmedia</a> <a href="https://t.co/ok9KUyH9eT">https://t.co/ok9KUyH9eT</a>
— Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) <a href="https://twitter.com/HeenaSidhu10/status/1241215277221548032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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With all the reactions coming, it remains to be seen what decision the authorities take about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the waiting game continues for the biggest sporting carnival in the world.&nbsp;

The Shooting Federation of India, the NRAI, has become the first sporting body in the country to suggest a postponement of the Olympic Games till November as the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues deteriorate with each passing day.

The Shooting Federation of India, the NRAI, has become the first sporting body in the country to suggest a postponement of the Olympic Games till November as the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues deteriorate with each passing day. While the COVID-19 has already shattered the sporting calendar, the discussions and debate relating to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has started to heat up. WATCH: Should the Olympics be Postponed? In conversation with Digvijay singh Deo, Sports Editor, WION × NRAI President Raninder Singh who is also the vice president of the International Shooting Federation commented on a post on WION’s YouTube channel. Here's what he said: India’s shooters have dominated world shooting in the last 18 months and a record 15 shooters have qualified for the Olympics. It was being estimated that India’s medal haul at the games would be powered by Indian shooters but with all training schedules disrupted and most sportspersons training in isolation Singh estimates that his team would need five to six months to return to peak performance. ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: India's leading sporting voices prefer Olympic postponement First big voice in Indian sport calling for a postponement of the Olympic Games to November. In a comment on @WIONews YouTube Channel @RaninderSingh President @OfficialNRAI and Vice President @ISSF_Shooting says Indian shooters will need 5-6 months to come back into peak. pic.twitter.com/Y0g9m32CUc — Digvijay Singh Deo (@DiggySinghDeo) March 21, 2020 × Considering the prevailing situation Singh says that if the Olympics are delayed by more than two weeks From the July 24 start date then it makes sense to push back to November 2020. He further reminded the powers that be in world sport that even ten gold medals were not equal to the life of one man. Furthermore, Heena Sidhu, the first Indian pistol shooter to win a gold medal in an ISSF World Cup finals, supported the idea of postponement by saying lives shouldn't be put on the line while hoping the IOC makes the right decision when the time comes. ALSO READ: Japan Olympic Committee official urges Tokyo 2020 delay I agree with @DiggySinghDeo a 100 percent. It may be early to make a decision right now but when the time comes I hope the IOC makes the right decision. Peoples lives shouldn't be put on the line. I hope they dont shy from postponing. @iocmedia https://t.co/ok9KUyH9eT — Heena SIDHU (@HeenaSidhu10) March 21, 2020 × With all the reactions coming, it remains to be seen what decision the authorities take about the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the waiting game continues for the biggest sporting carnival in the world.

Shooting Federation of India, NRAI react to WION's report; suggest postponement of 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Japan has spent over 12.5 billion dollars on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee draws a fair amount of its finances from broadcast rights, and of course, they have a conflict of interest when it comes to deciding if the games go ahead or not, but is anyone asking the real stakeholders, the athletes over what they think should happen.&nbsp;

WION reached out to more than 50 of India's most respected sporting voices including Olympic medalists, past and present, and a majority want the games to be postponed.

The push back has begun as athletes are stunned by the determination of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to push on with the 2020 Tokyo Games despite the coronavirus outbreak.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/abhinav-bindra-2008-olympic-champion-shooting-287427/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The IOC held a conference call with representatives of athletes commissions from 2020 Olympic committees on Wednesday.

The IOC admits that the situation is not ideal as they look for exceptional solutions that depart from precedent - but the question remains, why not just push it back till all is safe?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/michael-nobbs-former-indian-hockey-coach-287423/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Interestingly - the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) hasn't revealed who represented India's athletes in the emergency board meeting and members of IOA’s commission have confirmed to WION that they are not aware as well.

So has anyone reached out at all or is the IOA simply following the diktat from the IOC to present an all is well scenario?

WION reached out to 50 of India’s most prominent Olympic figures – including athletes, medalists and coaches. The results are staggering! More than 60 per cent do not feel safe in the current environment and want the games to be postponed if no cure is found by the end of May.&nbsp;

“Talking about the situation of coronavirus I think Olympics might get postponed because it's been really bad all around the world. As you know, they have cancelled all the tournaments and talking about the Olympics, I really don't know because anything can happen at the last moment, anything might happen because the government is there to take decisions and if things get really really bad then they might postpone the games,” 2016 Olympic silver medalist, PV Sindhu told WION.

“But we will be getting prepared but we know never know until the end and apart from that it's really important to be safe. People who are not feeling well, you really need to be far from them and use hand sanitizers all the time. And definitely, things will change and the government is there for all of us,” the reigning Badminton World Champion added.

<img alt="PV Sindhu" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2fae80d0-b366-4f9f-a09c-3acc406f103d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1JR7CZ.jpg" />

There are some who feel the games should go ahead - they include shooters like Manu Bhaker, Apurvi Chandela, Sanjeev Rajput and Mairaj Khan who have qualified for the games - and others who work closely with Olympic athletes.

“The Olympics should go on. I am definitely in support of the Olympics going ahead as scheduled and as per the original plan. While the current situation is quite grave and things are shutting down, I think calmness will prevail over in the next few weeks. My sentiments are probably not echoed by many but if we do understand the dynamics of it and to postpone the Olympics will cause more disruption than having it on time and while a lot of athletes have voiced their opinion on the postponement of the Olympics, I don't think the majority would be in that group,” Manisha Malhotra, the silver medalist in 2002 Asian Games, told WION.

“I think 50-60 per cent of athletes have already qualified for the Olympics and the ones who have not are the ones who are the most affected. But I think the way this virus is playing out and if we study what happened in China, the turnaround time to stop the spread is two months and we have that much time. We still have all of June and half of July and that should be okay going into the Olympics. It actually might benefit the athletes with final matching the qualification rounds,” she added.&nbsp;

The other major concern is that of training - lockdowns in place across many countries - especially in Europe have forced athletes to have to train in isolation - which is far from the ideal scenario heading into the biggest sporting competition of an athlete's career - but there seems to be no choice.

“The situation that the world is facing is completely unprecedented. I think no one was prepared for a situation such as this. An athlete’s life is all about adaptability. This is a skill that athletes do possess and this is a skill that needs to be put into good use in current times. Of course, there's an immense amount of uncertainty and speculation and in these times, athletes need to do two most important things: make sure they remain healthy, make sure everyone around them remain healthy and stay calm. In current times, there's lot of speculation and misinformation and I think the athletes would be in a good frame of mind if they look into information put forth by the experts, by the IOC, by the Athletes365 platform. The IOC has a task force with involvement of WHO which is monitoring the situation every single moment 24X7,” Abhinav Bindra, India’s only individual Olympic gold medalist told WION.

“The IOC came out with guiding principles of what will happen in the future and the guiding principle states that the first thing going forward is first to protect the health of everybody involved and support the containment of this virus. The WHO has told the IOC that it is too early to say whether Tokyo 2020 happens or not whether it is safe or not. What is important at the moment is to remain patient. In regards to being in top shape, I think in current times, it is completely secondary at the moment. The first priority must be that everybody takes care of their health and everybody around them. If they are able to do that then I am sure their performance will come into play and will be absolutely fine. Nothing will happen in a couple of weeks and athletes shouldn't worry if they are not able to train to the best of their limit in these couple of weeks that their performance will go down,” Bindra, who is a member of IOC Athlete’s Commission, added.&nbsp;

<img alt="abhinav bindra" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="913a3d1d-db4b-415c-aa24-e72225c11449" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Del218640.jpg" />

Many Indian athletes have a few key questions which they want to be addressed.

If health is the primary concern - how can the IOC ask athletes to continue training, when its own offices in Lausanne are shut down and employees have been asked to work from home?

What is the pressing need to hold the games in July when the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October and a precedent exists, they ask.

Can the IOC really vouch for the safety of the at least 50,000 athletes, officials, support staff, contractors, media personnel who attend the games? - and this number does not include spectators.

Is there any point in pressing ahead with the games - when the participation of athletes from sporting superpowers like the USA and a host of European countries remains doubtful due to the lockdowns &amp; travel restrictions in place?

“This is an unprecedented scenario we are going through. We have never seen these kinds of conditions ever. Forget about the athletes, normal people are locked down. They can't go out. And forget about the peaking of performance but they are not even able to qualify. I think 10-20 per cent of the athletes, worldwide, are yet to qualify. And among them, there would be elite athletes who are medal contenders and if they are left out of the competition, I think the results will be shocking!” Joydeep Karmakar, an Arjuna Award awardee and the man who famously finished 4th in Men's Prone at the 2012 London Games, told WION.

“It cannot be predicted but the best might miss the bus and unprecedented results can come out of the Olympics as well. So preparation is hit, people are not being able to qualify for the Olympics. So what will happen at the Olympics, if it does at all take place at the right time, I don't know the outcome and surely those who have qualified now it is hard time they are going through,” Karmakar, who has more than 100 medals at the National Championships and numerous International medals, Commonwealth Champion, Australian Open Champion, added.

<img alt="Joydeep Karmakar" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46f3e26e-2766-4b3f-95b2-ed89284ccdc9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV27655.jpg" />

The athlete is the centerpiece of the Olympic movement. The IOC claims to be the protector of their best interests, so perhaps it is time for it to listen to their voices and put their needs ahead of commercial obligations.

"It probably should be delayed. It could be delayed until November and I think that would be really good. The June-July time in Japan is unbearably hot and some terrible time to play. It's called the suicide time in Japan simply because the conditions are so unbearable. And in terms of players' safety with the virus and everything, I don't think that's a real issue because the athletes are in the village and are secluded when they get in. My greatest concern would be spectators. I think it is probably fair because all the countries are in the same position at this stage. By November, hopefully, things will settle down but at this moment, it's all same for everyone, they are all training at home. So let's see,"&nbsp; Michael Nobbs, the&nbsp;member of Australia men's national field hockey team at the 1984 Olympics and the former coach of Indian national field hockey team, told WION.

<img alt="Michael Nobbs" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4efb17f0-5a4e-41e8-aa0c-ba5bcc2812e2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_DV1221093.jpg" />

The athlete is the centerpiece of the Olympic movement and sporting bodies definitely need to communicate directly with their sportspersons.&nbsp;

The Olympics are the greatest sporting event on the planet and should definitely go ahead, but at a time when it is safe for all stakeholders.

Japan has spent over 12.5 billion dollars on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee draws a fair amount of its finances from broadcast rights, and of course, they have a conflict of interest when it comes to deciding if the games go ahead or not, but is anyone asking the real stakeholders, the athletes over what they think should happen.

Japan has spent over 12.5 billion dollars on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The International Olympic Committee draws a fair amount of its finances from broadcast rights, and of course, they have a conflict of interest when it comes to deciding if the games go ahead or not, but is anyone asking the real stakeholders, the athletes over what they think should happen. WION reached out to more than 50 of India's most respected sporting voices including Olympic medalists, past and present, and a majority want the games to be postponed. The push back has begun as athletes are stunned by the determination of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to push on with the 2020 Tokyo Games despite the coronavirus outbreak. The IOC held a conference call with representatives of athletes commissions from 2020 Olympic committees on Wednesday. The IOC admits that the situation is not ideal as they look for exceptional solutions that depart from precedent - but the question remains, why not just push it back till all is safe? Interestingly - the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) hasn't revealed who represented India's athletes in the emergency board meeting and members of IOA’s commission have confirmed to WION that they are not aware as well. So has anyone reached out at all or is the IOA simply following the diktat from the IOC to present an all is well scenario? WION reached out to 50 of India’s most prominent Olympic figures – including athletes, medalists and coaches. The results are staggering! More than 60 per cent do not feel safe in the current environment and want the games to be postponed if no cure is found by the end of May. “Talking about the situation of coronavirus I think Olympics might get postponed because it's been really bad all around the world. As you know, they have cancelled all the tournaments and talking about the Olympics, I really don't know because anything can happen at the last moment, anything might happen because the government is there to take decisions and if things get really really bad then they might postpone the games,” 2016 Olympic silver medalist, PV Sindhu told WION. “But we will be getting prepared but we know never know until the end and apart from that it's really important to be safe. People who are not feeling well, you really need to be far from them and use hand sanitizers all the time. And definitely, things will change and the government is there for all of us,” the reigning Badminton World Champion added. There are some who feel the games should go ahead - they include shooters like Manu Bhaker, Apurvi Chandela, Sanjeev Rajput and Mairaj Khan who have qualified for the games - and others who work closely with Olympic athletes. “The Olympics should go on. I am definitely in support of the Olympics going ahead as scheduled and as per the original plan. While the current situation is quite grave and things are shutting down, I think calmness will prevail over in the next few weeks. My sentiments are probably not echoed by many but if we do understand the dynamics of it and to postpone the Olympics will cause more disruption than having it on time and while a lot of athletes have voiced their opinion on the postponement of the Olympics, I don't think the majority would be in that group,” Manisha Malhotra, the silver medalist in 2002 Asian Games, told WION. “I think 50-60 per cent of athletes have already qualified for the Olympics and the ones who have not are the ones who are the most affected. But I think the way this virus is playing out and if we study what happened in China, the turnaround time to stop the spread is two months and we have that much time. We still have all of June and half of July and that should be okay going into the Olympics. It actually might benefit the athletes with final matching the qualification rounds,” she added. The other major concern is that of training - lockdowns in place across many countries - especially in Europe have forced athletes to have to train in isolation - which is far from the ideal scenario heading into the biggest sporting competition of an athlete's career - but there seems to be no choice. “The situation that the world is facing is completely unprecedented. I think no one was prepared for a situation such as this. An athlete’s life is all about adaptability. This is a skill that athletes do possess and this is a skill that needs to be put into good use in current times. Of course, there's an immense amount of uncertainty and speculation and in these times, athletes need to do two most important things: make sure they remain healthy, make sure everyone around them remain healthy and stay calm. In current times, there's lot of speculation and misinformation and I think the athletes would be in a good frame of mind if they look into information put forth by the experts, by the IOC, by the Athletes365 platform. The IOC has a task force with involvement of WHO which is monitoring the situation every single moment 24X7,” Abhinav Bindra, India’s only individual Olympic gold medalist told WION. “The IOC came out with guiding principles of what will happen in the future and the guiding principle states that the first thing going forward is first to protect the health of everybody involved and support the containment of this virus. The WHO has told the IOC that it is too early to say whether Tokyo 2020 happens or not whether it is safe or not. What is important at the moment is to remain patient. In regards to being in top shape, I think in current times, it is completely secondary at the moment. The first priority must be that everybody takes care of their health and everybody around them. If they are able to do that then I am sure their performance will come into play and will be absolutely fine. Nothing will happen in a couple of weeks and athletes shouldn't worry if they are not able to train to the best of their limit in these couple of weeks that their performance will go down,” Bindra, who is a member of IOC Athlete’s Commission, added. Many Indian athletes have a few key questions which they want to be addressed. If health is the primary concern - how can the IOC ask athletes to continue training, when its own offices in Lausanne are shut down and employees have been asked to work from home? What is the pressing need to hold the games in July when the 1964 Tokyo Olympics were held in October and a precedent exists, they ask. Can the IOC really vouch for the safety of the at least 50,000 athletes, officials, support staff, contractors, media personnel who attend the games? - and this number does not include spectators. Is there any point in pressing ahead with the games - when the participation of athletes from sporting superpowers like the USA and a host of European countries remains doubtful due to the lockdowns & travel restrictions in place? “This is an unprecedented scenario we are going through. We have never seen these kinds of conditions ever. Forget about the athletes, normal people are locked down. They can't go out. And forget about the peaking of performance but they are not even able to qualify. I think 10-20 per cent of the athletes, worldwide, are yet to qualify. And among them, there would be elite athletes who are medal contenders and if they are left out of the competition, I think the results will be shocking!” Joydeep Karmakar, an Arjuna Award awardee and the man who famously finished 4th in Men's Prone at the 2012 London Games, told WION. “It cannot be predicted but the best might miss the bus and unprecedented results can come out of the Olympics as well. So preparation is hit, people are not being able to qualify for the Olympics. So what will happen at the Olympics, if it does at all take place at the right time, I don't know the outcome and surely those who have qualified now it is hard time they are going through,” Karmakar, who has more than 100 medals at the National Championships and numerous International medals, Commonwealth Champion, Australian Open Champion, added. The athlete is the centerpiece of the Olympic movement. The IOC claims to be the protector of their best interests, so perhaps it is time for it to listen to their voices and put their needs ahead of commercial obligations. "It probably should be delayed. It could be delayed until November and I think that would be really good. The June-July time in Japan is unbearably hot and some terrible time to play. It's called the suicide time in Japan simply because the conditions are so unbearable. And in terms of players' safety with the virus and everything, I don't think that's a real issue because the athletes are in the village and are secluded when they get in. My greatest concern would be spectators. I think it is probably fair because all the countries are in the same position at this stage. By November, hopefully, things will settle down but at this moment, it's all same for everyone, they are all training at home. So let's see," Michael Nobbs, the member of Australia men's national field hockey team at the 1984 Olympics and the former coach of Indian national field hockey team, told WION. The athlete is the centerpiece of the Olympic movement and sporting bodies definitely need to communicate directly with their sportspersons. The Olympics are the greatest sporting event on the planet and should definitely go ahead, but at a time when it is safe for all stakeholders.

EXCLUSIVE: India's leading sporting voices prefer Olympic postponement

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Indian shooting team drew a blank. &nbsp;Three years later, India's rifle and pistol shooters are the toast of the world, some of them are still in their teens but for them only winning gold matters.&nbsp;

World domination which was a pipe dream a decade ago, especially after no-show at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been achieved in some style. India's shooters have dominated four ISSF World Cups in rifle and pistol, topping the medal tally at every edition for a total of 16 gold medals. It is an unprecedented gold rush which has sealed India's position as a superpower in world shooting.

"Shooters across the world look up to us now, they say Indians have come, it is a kind of reverse psychology. The difference now and Rio is that earlier they were hoping to win, now they want to win, "Raninder Singh, president, national rifle association of India, said.

Just nine months ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Indian shooting has the perfect launchpad. The benchmark remains the two medals won by Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang at the 2012 Olympics but on current form, Indian shooting can claim to be in the running for at least three big medals at the Tokyo games.

Jaspal Rana, head coach of the junior pistol team told WION: "We have several shooters now who can win a medal at any given time. We are no longer dependent&nbsp;&nbsp;on one or two names which is very good for the country."

The unprecedented success is a byproduct of the national rifle association's course correction post the debacle at the Rio Olympics. The emphasis on grooming juniors and blooding them at the tender ages of 15 and 16 has taken world shooting by storm. Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker went undefeated through an entire season in the mixed air pistol event, winning all four&nbsp;gold medals.

"It has been an epic year for mixed doubles," Manu Bhakar, the seventeen-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medalist, said, adding,"we won medals with no expectation."

Chaudhary and his teammate Abhishek Verma won two World Cup gold medals each in the 10m air pistol - the first time India achieved a shutout in an Olympic event. Twenty-year-old rookie Elavanil Valarivan won the women's 10m air rifle gold at the Rio World Cup, capping a successful run for India.

Apurvi Chandela, Anjum Moudgil and Valarivan are now ranked 1, 2 and 3 respectively in the world rankings. Chandela has already&nbsp;won two World Cup golds and a mixed air rifle gold this year. Moudgil has bagged qualifying spots for the Tokyo Olympics, yet they are being pushed all the way by teenagers Valarivan and Mehuli Ghosh.

"Manu, Saurabh&nbsp;and everyone else doing well really motivates us, winning every time now matters most," Anjum Moudgil says, while informing, "everyone motivates each other, it is such a good environment."

The depth is such that established stars are having a tough time. Olympic medalist Narang and former air pistol world no-1 Heena Sidhu are already out of the race for the Olympics. However, the senior pros haven't given up yet, Sanjeev Rajput clinched his fourth successive Olympic quota recently exemplifying&nbsp;perfect balance between experience and fresh blood.

"I feel like an elder brother in the group,"&nbsp;Rajput says. "Everyone comes to me to get tips, whenever they are somewhere else and cannot share something, they come to me later which really makes me feel good," he adds.

The pioneers of Indian shooting - Jaspal Rana, Rajyavardhan Rathore, Abhinav Bindra and Narang built Indian shooting brick-by-brick and showed it was possible to win at the top level. Now, the new generation only wants to win gold, it seems Tokyo 2020 can't come sooner for the young guns of Indian shooting.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Indian shooting team drew a blank. Three years later, India's rifle and pistol shooters are the toast of the world, some of them are still in their teens but for them only winning gold matters.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Indian shooting team drew a blank. Three years later, India's rifle and pistol shooters are the toast of the world, some of them are still in their teens but for them only winning gold matters. World domination which was a pipe dream a decade ago, especially after no-show at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been achieved in some style. India's shooters have dominated four ISSF World Cups in rifle and pistol, topping the medal tally at every edition for a total of 16 gold medals. It is an unprecedented gold rush which has sealed India's position as a superpower in world shooting. "Shooters across the world look up to us now, they say Indians have come, it is a kind of reverse psychology. The difference now and Rio is that earlier they were hoping to win, now they want to win, "Raninder Singh, president, national rifle association of India, said. Just nine months ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Indian shooting has the perfect launchpad. The benchmark remains the two medals won by Vijay Kumar and Gagan Narang at the 2012 Olympics but on current form, Indian shooting can claim to be in the running for at least three big medals at the Tokyo games. Jaspal Rana, head coach of the junior pistol team told WION: "We have several shooters now who can win a medal at any given time. We are no longer dependent on one or two names which is very good for the country." The unprecedented success is a byproduct of the national rifle association's course correction post the debacle at the Rio Olympics. The emphasis on grooming juniors and blooding them at the tender ages of 15 and 16 has taken world shooting by storm. Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker went undefeated through an entire season in the mixed air pistol event, winning all four gold medals. "It has been an epic year for mixed doubles," Manu Bhakar, the seventeen-year-old Commonwealth Games gold medalist, said, adding,"we won medals with no expectation." Chaudhary and his teammate Abhishek Verma won two World Cup gold medals each in the 10m air pistol - the first time India achieved a shutout in an Olympic event. Twenty-year-old rookie Elavanil Valarivan won the women's 10m air rifle gold at the Rio World Cup, capping a successful run for India. Apurvi Chandela, Anjum Moudgil and Valarivan are now ranked 1, 2 and 3 respectively in the world rankings. Chandela has already won two World Cup golds and a mixed air rifle gold this year. Moudgil has bagged qualifying spots for the Tokyo Olympics, yet they are being pushed all the way by teenagers Valarivan and Mehuli Ghosh. "Manu, Saurabh and everyone else doing well really motivates us, winning every time now matters most," Anjum Moudgil says, while informing, "everyone motivates each other, it is such a good environment." The depth is such that established stars are having a tough time. Olympic medalist Narang and former air pistol world no-1 Heena Sidhu are already out of the race for the Olympics. However, the senior pros haven't given up yet, Sanjeev Rajput clinched his fourth successive Olympic quota recently exemplifying perfect balance between experience and fresh blood. "I feel like an elder brother in the group," Rajput says. "Everyone comes to me to get tips, whenever they are somewhere else and cannot share something, they come to me later which really makes me feel good," he adds. The pioneers of Indian shooting - Jaspal Rana, Rajyavardhan Rathore, Abhinav Bindra and Narang built Indian shooting brick-by-brick and showed it was possible to win at the top level. Now, the new generation only wants to win gold, it seems Tokyo 2020 can't come sooner for the young guns of Indian shooting.

Young guns of Indian shooting ready for gold rush at Tokyo Olympics

The Davis Cup tie between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/davis-cup-mahesh-bhupati-again-writes-to-aita-says-most-players-do-not-want-to-tour-pakistan-242826">India and Pakistan</a> next month in Islamabad has been postponed to November, WION has learned.

India was scheduled to travel to Islamabad for the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/davis-cup-all-india-tennis-association-ask-for-neutral-venue-242149">Asia-Oceania Round 1</a> tie but the decision of the Pakistan government to downgrade diplomatic ties between the two countries put the trip in jeopardy.

WION&nbsp;had&nbsp;exclusively reported last month that Indian captain Mahesh Bhupathi had written to the All India Tennis Association(AITA) demanding security guarantees as the players were jittery over playing in Pakistan.

The International Tennis Federation(ITF) had initially rejected India’s plea to shift the tie to a neutral venue including the postponement request considering the prevailing sentiment.

However, with the Indian body persisting with its demand for security guarantees the international federation conducted another in-depth security review and agreed that due to "exceptional circumstances" the tie has to be postponed till November.

India was scheduled to play the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie in the Pakistani capital on September 14 and 15.

In a letter to AITA secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee on August 12, Bhupathi had said: "I am speaking on behalf of the team to officially put on record that most, if not all the boys on the team "DO NOT" want to go to Pakistan in these circumstances."

"We do not feel safe regardless of what a security agency hired by the ITF feels," Bhupathi added.

The Davis Cup tie between India and Pakistan next month in Islamabad has been postponed to November, WION has learned. India was scheduled to travel to Islamabad for the Asia-Oceania Round 1 tie but the decision of the Pakistan government to downgrade diplomatic ties between the two countries put the trip in jeopardy.

The Davis Cup tie between India and Pakistan next month in Islamabad has been postponed to November, WION has learned. India was scheduled to travel to Islamabad for the Asia-Oceania Round 1 tie but the decision of the Pakistan government to downgrade diplomatic ties between the two countries put the trip in jeopardy. WION had exclusively reported last month that Indian captain Mahesh Bhupathi had written to the All India Tennis Association(AITA) demanding security guarantees as the players were jittery over playing in Pakistan. The International Tennis Federation(ITF) had initially rejected India’s plea to shift the tie to a neutral venue including the postponement request considering the prevailing sentiment. However, with the Indian body persisting with its demand for security guarantees the international federation conducted another in-depth security review and agreed that due to "exceptional circumstances" the tie has to be postponed till November. India was scheduled to play the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie in the Pakistani capital on September 14 and 15. In a letter to AITA secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee on August 12, Bhupathi had said: "I am speaking on behalf of the team to officially put on record that most, if not all the boys on the team "DO NOT" want to go to Pakistan in these circumstances." "We do not feel safe regardless of what a security agency hired by the ITF feels," Bhupathi added.

India-Pakistan Davis Cup tie postponed to November

Indian tennis legend <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-tennis-players-jittery-over-pakistan-tour-captain-mahesh-bhupathi-asks-for-details-of-security-arrangement-239528">Mahesh Bhupathi in a letter to the All India Tennis Association</a> (AITA) has mentioned that the Indian players do not want to travel to Pakistan for their Davis Cup tie against the neighbouring country due to security fears.&nbsp;

India are scheduled to play the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie in the Pakistani capital on&nbsp;September 14 and 15.

WION has in its possession the letter written by Bhupathi in which he clearly states that most players do not feel safe due to the current political tensions between the two countries in the aftermath of the scrapping of the Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;

"I am speaking on behalf of the team to officially put on record that most, if not all the boys on the team "DO NOT" want to go to Pakistan in these circumstances," wrote Bhupathi to AITA secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee on August 12.&nbsp;

"We do not feel safe regardless of what a security agency hired by the ITF feels," the letter further said.&nbsp;

Bhupathi has also urged the&nbsp;AITA&nbsp;to ask the players individually and&nbsp;ascertain their thoughts. He&nbsp;also requested for a "neutral venue".&nbsp;

"I still urge you to put in a request to the ITF asap for a change of venue since we do not feel safe," added Bhupathi in the letter.&nbsp;

The 12-time doubles grand slam winner had earlier written to AITA expressing reservations over touring to Pakistan and had demanded security guarantees.&nbsp;

On the request of the venue change, International Tennis Federation (ITF) had said earlier in a statement that it was satisfied with Pakistan's security plan for the event.&nbsp;

Watch the video that has details of Bhupathi's&nbsp;letter:

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"We are working closely with the host nation and independent expert security advisors — the ITF is satisfied with their current security assessment of the site and the security plan in place," the world body had said.

"The overall security risk rating for Pakistan has not changed, however, we will continue to monitor the situation closely with our advisors," it added.

AITA has asked the world body to conduct a fresh assessment due to the changed situation between India and Pakistan but the ITF has insisted that it is happy with the current security assessment.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, India's sports minister Kiren Rijiju said the government would not prevent the team from playing the Davis Cup tie in Pakistan as it is not a bilateral event.&nbsp;

Indian tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi in a letter to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has mentioned that the Indian players do not want to travel to Pakistan for their Davis Cup tie against the neighbouring country due to security fears.

Indian tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi in a letter to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) has mentioned that the Indian players do not want to travel to Pakistan for their Davis Cup tie against the neighbouring country due to security fears. India are scheduled to play the Asia/Oceania Group 1 tie in the Pakistani capital on September 14 and 15. WION has in its possession the letter written by Bhupathi in which he clearly states that most players do not feel safe due to the current political tensions between the two countries in the aftermath of the scrapping of the Article 370 which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. "I am speaking on behalf of the team to officially put on record that most, if not all the boys on the team "DO NOT" want to go to Pakistan in these circumstances," wrote Bhupathi to AITA secretary Hironmoy Chatterjee on August 12. "We do not feel safe regardless of what a security agency hired by the ITF feels," the letter further said. Bhupathi has also urged the AITA to ask the players individually and ascertain their thoughts. He also requested for a "neutral venue". "I still urge you to put in a request to the ITF asap for a change of venue since we do not feel safe," added Bhupathi in the letter. The 12-time doubles grand slam winner had earlier written to AITA expressing reservations over touring to Pakistan and had demanded security guarantees. On the request of the venue change, International Tennis Federation (ITF) had said earlier in a statement that it was satisfied with Pakistan's security plan for the event. Watch the video that has details of Bhupathi's letter: × "We are working closely with the host nation and independent expert security advisors — the ITF is satisfied with their current security assessment of the site and the security plan in place," the world body had said. "The overall security risk rating for Pakistan has not changed, however, we will continue to monitor the situation closely with our advisors," it added. AITA has asked the world body to conduct a fresh assessment due to the changed situation between India and Pakistan but the ITF has insisted that it is happy with the current security assessment. Meanwhile, India's sports minister Kiren Rijiju said the government would not prevent the team from playing the Davis Cup tie in Pakistan as it is not a bilateral event.

Davis Cup: Mahesh Bhupathi again writes to AITA, says most players 'do not want' to tour Pakistan

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records.&nbsp;

However, only a few know that the man might not even have become a cricketer in the first place.

Hailing from a family of doctors, everyone thought the former Indian cricketer would go into medicine.&nbsp; But at the age of 17, and on the verge of getting a medical seat, he made the decision that would change his life completely.

"I was born to eminent doctors in Hyderabad, who were and still continue to be my role models. And also I enjoyed science. In my 10th class, I was first in the state in science and in my 11th and 12th class also I chose science only. I even cracked the common entrance exam for engineering and medicine and through sports quota I almost got enrolled in one of the famous medical colleges in Hyderabad, and simultaneously my cricketing career was also progressing, so that was one of the toughest decisions for me and my family because in early 1990's, cricket was not a professional but an amateur sport."

The former right-handed batsman added that although his parents did not stand in the way of his dream, they did give him a deadline.&nbsp;

"The opportunity came with a deadline of five years. Within those five years, if I don’t achieve my dream of playing for my country, I had to leave the game, come and again pursue my goal of becoming a doctor.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/australian-captain-steve-waughs-side-was-best-i-played-against-says-vvs-laxman-182319">Steve Waugh's side was best I played against, says VVS Laxman</a>

Since his cricketing days, Laxman has been an admirer of former Indian captain Anil Kumble. He was one of the few cricketers who openly spoke about the strained relation between Kumble and current Indian captain Virat Kohli, which saw Kumble's exit as the Indian coach.

Watch the full interview here:

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When asked to share the historical moment when Kumble bowled with a broken jaw, Laxman said if anyone could do that was only Anil.&nbsp;

"How can you imagine someone who has got a fractured jaw to come and bowl for his country. He was in immense pain but he knew that we (Indian team) were not able to take wickets.&nbsp;

Laxman also added that nobody was aware of Kumble's decision.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-created-legacy-with-his-batting-says-vvs-laxman-to-wion-182132">Virat Kohli created 'legacy' with his batting, VVS Laxman tells WION</a>

"None of us knew that he would come and suddenly when we saw him walking down, with a bandaged jaw we were all surprised. But if anyone who could do that was Anil as he always had that fighting spirit."

Laxman had an illustrious career where he has played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs but the former batsman had many on and off the scuffles with former Indian coach Greg Chappell.

On being asked what do you think was the reason behind such altercations, Laxman said that Chappell lacked man management skills.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Currently coached by Ravi Shastri, the Men in Blue are on a tour of Australia where they will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.&nbsp;&nbsp;

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records.

VVS Laxman is a name that needs no introduction. In his 15-year-long career, the man has played some breathtaking knocks for India, saved the team in some tricky situations, and set umpteen records. However, only a few know that the man might not even have become a cricketer in the first place. Hailing from a family of doctors, everyone thought the former Indian cricketer would go into medicine. But at the age of 17, and on the verge of getting a medical seat, he made the decision that would change his life completely. "I was born to eminent doctors in Hyderabad, who were and still continue to be my role models. And also I enjoyed science. In my 10th class, I was first in the state in science and in my 11th and 12th class also I chose science only. I even cracked the common entrance exam for engineering and medicine and through sports quota I almost got enrolled in one of the famous medical colleges in Hyderabad, and simultaneously my cricketing career was also progressing, so that was one of the toughest decisions for me and my family because in early 1990's, cricket was not a professional but an amateur sport." The former right-handed batsman added that although his parents did not stand in the way of his dream, they did give him a deadline. "The opportunity came with a deadline of five years. Within those five years, if I don’t achieve my dream of playing for my country, I had to leave the game, come and again pursue my goal of becoming a doctor. Also read | Steve Waugh's side was best I played against, says VVS Laxman Since his cricketing days, Laxman has been an admirer of former Indian captain Anil Kumble. He was one of the few cricketers who openly spoke about the strained relation between Kumble and current Indian captain Virat Kohli, which saw Kumble's exit as the Indian coach. Watch the full interview here: × When asked to share the historical moment when Kumble bowled with a broken jaw, Laxman said if anyone could do that was only Anil. "How can you imagine someone who has got a fractured jaw to come and bowl for his country. He was in immense pain but he knew that we (Indian team) were not able to take wickets. Laxman also added that nobody was aware of Kumble's decision. Also read | Virat Kohli created 'legacy' with his batting, VVS Laxman tells WION "None of us knew that he would come and suddenly when we saw him walking down, with a bandaged jaw we were all surprised. But if anyone who could do that was Anil as he always had that fighting spirit." Laxman had an illustrious career where he has played 134 Tests and 86 ODIs but the former batsman had many on and off the scuffles with former Indian coach Greg Chappell. On being asked what do you think was the reason behind such altercations, Laxman said that Chappell lacked man management skills. Currently coached by Ravi Shastri, the Men in Blue are on a tour of Australia where they will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.

Decided to take up cricket when it was amateur sport, VVS Laxman tells WION

Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team is on a tour of Australia and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/india-vs-australia-1st-test-how-spin-pace-exposed-tim-paines-team-182267">expectations are high from the 'Men In Blue' </a>to emerge victorious in every game they play.

Many cricket pundits believe that this tour is the best time for India to end their Test jinx in Australia as they are facing an unsettled side, especially after the bans put on former captain Steve Smith and his former deputy David Warner. &nbsp;

Several comparisons have also been raised as to which Test team is better, the current one or the side which included legends like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Virendra Sehwag.

While some seniors refused to do the comparison, former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, who has set umpteen records against 'The Invincibles' moulded his answer, saying Steve Waugh-led side was the best Australian team he played against. &nbsp;

"Steve Waugh team was probably the best team I played against. In our generation, the Australian team under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting were the best teams. You imagine Australia had registered 15 consecutive wins, coming and winning the 16th Test match comfortably, in Mumbai, and that too in three days is remarkable."

"But from there, from that kind of situation we went on to win the Test match in Kolkata, following it up with a brilliant nail-biting win in Chennai and winning that Test series, were the moments really really memorable."

However, the former right-handed batsman, who is playing an inning of a cricket commentator now, stressed that there were many things that happened during the series which helped them grow the bond, they share till now. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"The best thing about the team under Waugh was that they were in India to embrace the culture, and everyone could see a huge shift in the way the Australian team travelled after that and eventually we all became friends."

On being asked to give a 'winning mantra' to the current Indian team touring Australia, Laxman said the team will have to earn each and every run they make and wicket they take.&nbsp;

"When you play against Australians you have to earn each and every run you score and wicket you take because they are not going to give anything easy. And even if you have to win you have to work hard for that win," Laxman concluded.

India will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team is on a tour of Australia and expectations are high from the 'Men In Blue' to emerge victorious in every game they play. Many cricket pundits believe that this tour is the best time for India to end their Test jinx in Australia as they are facing an unsettled side, especially after the bans put on former captain Steve Smith and his former deputy David Warner.

Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team is on a tour of Australia and expectations are high from the 'Men In Blue' to emerge victorious in every game they play. Many cricket pundits believe that this tour is the best time for India to end their Test jinx in Australia as they are facing an unsettled side, especially after the bans put on former captain Steve Smith and his former deputy David Warner. Several comparisons have also been raised as to which Test team is better, the current one or the side which included legends like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Virendra Sehwag. While some seniors refused to do the comparison, former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, who has set umpteen records against 'The Invincibles' moulded his answer, saying Steve Waugh-led side was the best Australian team he played against. "Steve Waugh team was probably the best team I played against. In our generation, the Australian team under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting were the best teams. You imagine Australia had registered 15 consecutive wins, coming and winning the 16th Test match comfortably, in Mumbai, and that too in three days is remarkable." "But from there, from that kind of situation we went on to win the Test match in Kolkata, following it up with a brilliant nail-biting win in Chennai and winning that Test series, were the moments really really memorable." However, the former right-handed batsman, who is playing an inning of a cricket commentator now, stressed that there were many things that happened during the series which helped them grow the bond, they share till now. "The best thing about the team under Waugh was that they were in India to embrace the culture, and everyone could see a huge shift in the way the Australian team travelled after that and eventually we all became friends." On being asked to give a 'winning mantra' to the current Indian team touring Australia, Laxman said the team will have to earn each and every run they make and wicket they take. "When you play against Australians you have to earn each and every run you score and wicket you take because they are not going to give anything easy. And even if you have to win you have to work hard for that win," Laxman concluded. India will play four Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 International (T20I) matches.

Watch: Steve Waugh's side was best I played against, says VVS Laxman

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