Tokyo Olympics: IOA requests government to allow entry of India contingent without RT PCR report

Most of the Indian contingent is already in Tokyo, battling it out. Meanwhile, the Indian Olympic Association has requested the Indian government to consider allowing the athletes to return to the country without an RT PCR report.

The Indian contingent is already battling it out in the Tokyo Olympics. At the same time, a few more athletes are scheduled to fly out to the Japanese capital to compete in more events, as a total of 126 athletes would rule.

The Indians had to undergo a mandatory three-day rigid quarantine upon their arrival in Tokyo before beginning their regular routine. However, it is uncertain how long they would have to undergo quarantine following their return to the country.

In the same light, the Indian Olympic Association has requested the Indian government to allow the athletes to return home without an RT PCR report, as they had already undergone strict testing measures during their stay in the Olympic Village. Consequently, IOA president Narinder Batra has written a letter to Sports Secretary Ravi Mittal, stating that since the athletes are completely vaccinated, they should be exempted from quarantine upon arrival.

"Government of India has put people travelling into India to enter India with a valid RT PCR test to be done before arriving into India, and it applies to people arriving from Japan into India. Our humble request... is to allow the athletes, officials, IOA delegates, NSF officials/delegates and the media, who are coming back from Tokyo and have an accreditation card based on which Japan allowed them entry into Japan, be allowed to enter back in India without RT PCR test and report," read the letter from Batra.

"You are very well aware that all athletes, all officials (IOA and NSF) are: 1. Double Vaccinated, 2. Took 2 RT PCR tests before departure to Tokyo, 3. Every member of the contingent, delegate from IOA & NSFs, are being tested in Tokyo every day for Covid with Sylvia test till each individual's departure back to India. To get the RT PCR test done in Tokyo or outside Tokyo, where contingent is based, is a very difficult task. Here paperwork is perfect, but in practice, there is a lot of confusion and very difficult to get things," he added.

As per the current COVID protocols during the Games, athletes undergo antigen tests every day, while a positive or close to half report leads to the RT PCR test. Also, the athletes, who are done with their event, must leave Tokyo within 48 hours, reports PTI.

Meanwhile, Batra has also requested to write to the Japanese government to allow the Indians to board the return flights without the COVID test report. As of now, the flights returning from Tokyo are Air India, Vistara, All Nippon Airlines and Japan Airlines.

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