Good News: Medical Insurance For 13,000 Indian Athletes, Coaches, Support Staff

New Delhi: To ensure safety and well-being of athletes and support staff in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced that Sports Authority of India (SAI) will provide medical and accident insurance cover to more than 13,000 athletes, coaches and support staff from this year.

Insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh each will be given to all national campers, probable national campers, Khelo India athletes and junior campers training at SAI Centres of Excellence. Besides the health insurance for Rs 5 lakh each, a Rs 25 lakh cover for accident or death will also be included in the policy.

Union minister Kiren Rijiju observed that athletes as well as the coaching and support staff were the biggest stakeholders of the ministry.

“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,” said Rijiju.

“Through this initiative, we are ensuring that all National-level athletes have insurance cover not just during the National camps but throughout the year. We have significantly raised the insurance cover for Khelo India scholar and junior athletes up to Rs 5 lakh per athlete each year,” the minister informed.

SAI has asked National Sporting Federations 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.