Tokyo 2020: Olympic contingent to be allowed entry to India without RT-PCR reports

The Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian contingent including athletes, coaches, support staff, officials, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officials, NSFs can be allowed back into India without RT-PCR test provided, Union Health Ministry, Joint Secretary Lav Agarwal on Sunday informed.

"The categories of persons mentioned in Pam 4 namely, athletes coaches, support staff, the officials, the 10A officials, 10A delegates, NSF officials/delegates and the press & media can be allowed back to India without RT-PCR test report provided," Lav Agarwal said in a letter.

"Only asymptomatic individuals should be allowed to board the flight," the letter further read.

According to the letter, the Olympic Contingent/Delegation will however have to give a sample at the Arrival Airport and then leave after giving an undertaking of self-monitoring for 14 days.

IOA President Narinder Batra thanked Sports Minister Anurag Thakur for a prompt and immediate solution.

Earlier in the day, Batra wrote to Secretary Sports Ravi Mital and requested for the Indian contingent coming in from the Tokyo Olympics -- after their respective events -- to be allowed to enter the country without test reports as long as they have accreditation cards.

The reason for the request from the IOA chief was the difficulty and confusion in getting tests done.

"To get RT-PCR test done in Tokyo or outside Tokyo where contingent is based is a very difficult task. Here paper work is perfect but in practice there is lot of confusion and very difficult to get things," he had said.

( With inputs from ANI )