MOC approves financial assistance for Paris-bound Rohan Bopanna and Sriram Balaji’s 2 ATP events

Ahead of the forthcoming Paris Olympics 2024, the Sports Ministry’s Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved financial assistance to ace Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna and his doubles partner N Sriram Balaji to participate in two ATP events in the lead-up to the Games.

Bopanna and Balaji will travel to Hamburg (Germany) and Umag (Croatia) alongside their coach and physiotherapist to participate in the ATP 500 events before they take the flight to Paris for the Summer Games.

The Hamburg European Open is the first ATP tour the duo will take part in from July 13 to 21 and the Croatia Open will take place from July 21 to 27. The two tours will help the Indian pair to find proper rhythm and sync between them before they move to Paris.

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MOC also approved a few more requests

The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) also approved the financial assistance requests of shooters Rhythm Sangwan, Sarabjot Singh, Vijayveer, and Anish Bhanwala. This will cover the expenses of personal coaches or trainers during the Olympic training camp in Volmerange, France, and the Paris Olympics.

Furthermore, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) will cover the cost of flight, board and lodging, visa, and local transport.

Moreover, MOC also approved the requests of skeet shooters Maheshwari Chauhan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka to train with personal coaches Riccardo Fillipelli in Arrezo, Italy, and Ennio Falco at the Tiro A Volo Falco range in Capua, Italy, respectively.

Also in the meeting, the Mission Olympic Cell decided to assist steeplechasers Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary alongside their coach Scott Simmons to train in St Moritz, Switzerland, before the start of the quadrennial event in Paris.

Later, the MOC inducted quarter-miler Kiran Pahal, high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare, and shot putter Abha Khatua into the TOPS core group for the Paris Olympics 2024 cycle.

India’s 4x400m women’s relay team’s request for equipment procurement was also approved. Further, Harmeet Desai’s request for support training in Biberach, Germany, and the purchase of various consumables and fees for support staff was approved.