Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport (MYAS) will host the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting in Bhubaneswar on January 20.
The MOC meets every month for selection of TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) athletes, monitoring and evaluation of their performance and approve proposals of elite athletes for financial support from MYAS.
The members, including ace ex-athletes Anju Bobby George, Anjali Bhagwat, Viren Rasquinha, Yogeshwar Dutt, Trupti Murgunde, Monalisa Baruah, among others will also attend the Hockey World Cup match on the sidelines of their visit for the meeting. The members are expected to watch India take on Wales for their final group stage match on January 19.
Speaking about the meeting to be held in Bhubaneswar, Anju Bobby George said, “I am looking forward to attending the MOC in Bhubaneswar. AS MOC members we approve the training of athletes and their participation in international competitions. However, this will be the first-ever time that as MOC members we will all watch the players on field. This gives us a chance to gauge their performances first-hand as well as to be part of their journey.”
Generally, MOC members from across India, travel to Delhi every month to discuss TOPS related agendas. During the peak of the Covid-19 outbreak, the meetings were moved to a virtual platform so that the athletes did not suffer due to delays. Post lockdown, the meetings have adopted a hybrid approach where one meeting in the month is held virtually, while the second one is a physical meeting.