Chopra's journey: Turkey, Delhi airport, village, NIS quarantine...

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 20

Having come back to India after leaving Turkey, where he was training, due to the Covid-19 scare, star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra travelled to Patiala. On the way from Delhi on Wednesday, he made a stop at his home in Panipat district, to get some food — he didn’t want to take a chance with a restaurant or dhaba on the way.

“I told my mother, ‘let me wash my hands first before I enter the house’,” recalled Chopra today. He said that before meeting his parents, he washed his hands with soap and also took a bath. He advised his family — who had not been very cautious about the coronavirus — to be more vigilant. “They were not much cautious about the coronavirus. I told them to take precautions and wash hands regularly,” Chopra said.

In quarantine

Today Chopra, who is one of the two Indian javelin throwers to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, moved to quarantine lodging at the National Institute of Sports (NIS). This happened after the Sports Authority of India insisted that all sportspersons who have returned from abroad and were staying at NIS should be in quarantine for 14 days.

Chopra had been screened at the airport in Delhi and allowed to travel to Patiala. “When I landed in India, I first went through thermal screening at the airport,” Chopra told The Tribune. “Then we were questioned about our travel history. They asked me whether I visited or halted at Italy.”

After a few questions, the officials at the Delhi airport let him go. He then took a taxi to NIS Patiala as he wanted to train there, in preparation for the Olympics.

However, Chopra made a small stopover at his house, where he interacted with his family. He wanted to meet his family after returning to India after a long time, but the other big reason was that he wanted only homemade food.

No isolation

On reaching NIS, Chopra went to his room in the men’s hostel, without having been asked to be in self-isolation for 14 days. Next morning (Thursday), he went out for a mild run and did light gym work. However, he said he made sure he went out for training at odd hours, to avoid any contact with other athletes.

Then, following SAI’s insistence on the protocol of 14 days of isolation, he was shifted to a quarantine facility at NIS today morning.

Getting bored

Chopra, who is among the few national athletes who have been allowed to stay at NIS, said boredom has already started to set in. “Staying away from javelin-throwing is very difficult,” he said. “I’ve watched movies and played games on the phone, but I find it very difficult to stay away from the field for a long time.”

“One can watch movies for a limited time only. I want to get out of my room and practise,” he said. “But I will stay inside my room to avoid any contact with others. This virus is serious and we should fight it collectively.”

Thinking of training in Bellary

Due to the situation at NIS, which wears a deserted look, Chopra said that he was thinking of shifting to JSW’s Inspire Institute of Sports in Bellary, Karnataka. “What will I do here at NIS, alone? If all goes well, I will go to Bellary for training. That is also a good place to train at,” he said. Chopra, however, added that the authorities at NIS had assured him of all possible help so that he could train at NIS only.