The Olympic-bound Indian desk tennis crew is at the moment coaching within the German metropolis of Saarbrucken with the assist workers outnumbering the gamers who might be competing in Paris. Italy’s Massimo Costantini, who has returned as India’s head coach for a 3rd third time forward of the Paris Olympics, is getting assist from former participant Sourav Chakraborty as the opposite nationwide coach of the contingent. What’s uncommon is that as many as 4 private coaches have been cleared by the federal government to journey with the squad with all three members of the ladies’s crew wanting their very own by way of their keep within the Summer season Video games starting July 26.
Two masseurs and a physio are the opposite members of the nine-man assist workers whereas six members type the enjoying contingent (three males, three girls).
Star girls’s participant Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula and Archana Kamath will lean on their respective private coaches throughout the course of their marketing campaign in Paris.
Within the three-member males’s crew, India’s flag-bearer Sharath Kamal can have Chris Pfeiffer by his aspect on the Video games. Harmeet Desai and Manav Thakkar are the opposite members of the lads’s unit.
The presence of so many coaches can result in floating of too many concepts within the camp however Costantini, who has been with the squad for greater than a month, does not see it as an issue.
“The private coaches are part of the crew mechanism. They are going to have their concepts and I’ve my very own concepts. I’ll hearken to them and they’ll hearken to me and finally the ultimate name lies with me. I do not see something incorrect in that,” Costantini advised PTI from Saarbrucken.
Nonetheless, solely designated crew coaches can have discipline of play entry whereas the private coaches can solely watch the motion from the stands and also will keep exterior the Video games’ village.
The Indian desk tennis unit had courted a serious controversy throughout the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when Manika refused the court-side assist of then nationwide coach Soumyadeep Roy and later accused him of match-fixing.
That incident led to the suspension of Desk Tennis Federation of India as a result of a “sorry” state of affairs within the nationwide sports activities federation.
Forward of the 2024 version, all the private coaches left with the Indian contingent for Saarbrucken final week. The crew will practice there until July 21 earlier than heading to Paris.
The person occasions will precede the crew occasion by which India has secured a primary ever qualification in each the classes. The seedings might be introduced on Tuesday.
“Olympics is an occasion of life. The main focus of the camp right here is on footwork and stamina. Each psychological and bodily health is essential particularly in better of seven video games situation,” Costantini stated.
“The thoughts and physique should be in sync for the gamers to excel. We’re coaching in a stress free surroundings,” added the Italian.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
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