New Delhi: Union Minister of State (IndependentCharge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday visited the Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports, Sports Authority of India at Patiala to take stock of preparations of athletes for Rio Olympics, 2016. He was accompanied by Secretary (Sports), Rajiv Yadav.

During the visit, Sonowal took a round of Milkha Singh Hostel and its Mess and enquired about the facilities being provided to National Campers. He held discussions with the campers preparing for Rio 2016 Olympics. Thereafter, the minister visited Weightlifting Hall and had interaction with Junior National Weightlifters. He also visited the recovery centre of the institute and took stock of various recovery facilities being provided to the campers/sportspersons.

During visit to the strength training hall, Sonowal had discussions with coaches of track and field events. Chief national coach Bahadur Singh and foreign coaches Yuri Minako (Shotput & Discus) and Dmitri Vinayagan, (100-meter Sprint and 4x100 meter Relay), requested the minister for indoor track & field track so as to provide better training facilities, especially during extreme cold and hot weather.

The track & field coaches also requested for food supplements for their campers. The sports minister assured that the Athletic Federation of India would be contacted and the food supplements would be provided in the next two days.

The Youth Affairs and Sports Minister and the secretary sports also witnessed the various activities of the different departments of the Faculty of Sports Sciences. They visited all the laboratories and had interaction with the concerned Sports Scientists. They asked about the scientific support being provided to campers especially from sports psychology and Sports Nutrition departments. The minister stressed the need for providing more equipment for sports sciences.

After paying visit to faculty of sports sciences, they visited PT Usha Hostel for girls and took stock of the various facilities being provided to the women national campers of different sports. Sonowal also interacted with the students of the six-week certificate course in sports coaching currently in progress at the Institute.