We will resume the academic trainings soon: Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday made an appeal to the athletes not to get disheartened and assured them that their academic training would resume soon.

New Delhi [India], Mar 17 : Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday made an appeal to the athletes not to get disheartened and assured them that their academic training would resume soon.

Earlier in the day, Rijiju announced that all national camps will be postponed except for those where athletes are training for the Olympics.

The decision was taken as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus.

Apart from the national camps, the minister also announced that academic training in the National Centre of Excellence and STCs will be suspended till further order.

"This is just a temporary and precautionary step for the safety of our sportspersons. I appeal to all our young athletes not to be disheartened. We will resume the academic trainings soon after assessing the situation. #IndiaFightsCorona," Rijiju tweeted.

Earlier today, India reported the third death from coronavirus with an elderly patient suffering from the infection passing away in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in India rose to 126 on Tuesday, the Union health ministry said.

( With inputs from ANI )