SAI to provide medical, accident insurance to 13,000 athletes, coaches, staff

New Delhi, May 20 (UNI) The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Thursday said that it will extend medical and accident insurance cover to more than 13,000 athletes, coaches and support staff from this year.
According to SAI, the decision has been taken in keeping with the decision of Sports Ministry to ensure the safety and well-being of all athletes and support staff in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in India.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said the well-being of athletes, coaches and support staff are his ministry’s priority.
”We want to ensure that all our athletes and contractual staff have health cover during these difficult times and even after. They are our National assets,” he said.
The insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh each will be provided to all national campers, probable national campers, Khelo India athletes and junior campers training at SAI Centre of Excellence.
The health insurance also includes Rs 25 lakh accident or death coverage.
”Through this initiative, we are ensuring that all national-level athlete

s have insurance cover not just during the national camps but throughout the year,” Rijiju said.
”We have significantly raised the insurance cover for Khelo India scholars and junior athletes up to Rs 5 lakh per athlete each year,” he added.
This policy will come into effect irrespective of the dates of a national camp and even if camps have not been in operation this year.
This will ensure continuity in the insurance and will provide much needed support to national-level athletes, coaches and support staff associated with National camps.
SAI has asked the National Sporting Federations (NSFs) to identify athletes and support staff for inclusion in the insurance scheme.
The data of those covered under this insurance scheme will be stored in the National Sports Repository System to create a transparent, easy to access process which can be monitored regularly.
Through the annual calendar for training and competition for each National Sports Federation, the Sports Ministry funds national camps, competitive exposure overse

as, conduct of National Championships and the junior programmes.
Besides, the cream of athletes are also supported under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. The Ministry also supports 596 former internationals with a monthly pension.