The SAI National Cycling Academy (SAINCA) at t is all set to turn into an international outfit, the first for any sport in India, by September this year. The academy was inaugurated at the IG Sports Complex Velodrome early this March.
Brian Cookson, the UCI President, who gave his green light during a meeting with the officials of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) at the Asian Cycling Championships in Astana, the Kazakhstan capital, last fortnight.
The CFI delegation to Astana included, besides president Parminder Singh Dhindsa, secretary-general Onkar Singh and treasurer Bani Ghosh.
"I think New Delhi (India) fits our bill of vision to start an academy in a developing country because I have been following the progress of their cyclists. They have done really well in recent times and I look at this rare opportunity (of an academy) to help them in a big way particularly and those in the region generally. We, in Great Britain, had started in a similar way," said Cookson on his choice about New Delhi being the venue for such a venture.
"It is, indeed, a rare honour for the CFI as India will have the first international sport academy to help our cyclists and the rest in the region. It was all possible because of our cyclists' sustained high class performance on the international stage," said Parminder Singh Dhindsa, the CFI president.
The aim of the New Delhi WCC will be to develop and coach athletes and trainee coaches coming from all around the world in a unique structure at the centre. The WCC will have world-class coaches posted at New Delhi in order to develop, educate and coach athletes in a scientific way.
"We are happy to be associated with the WCC which will bring in all-round expertise to help our cyclists excel on the world stage. It’s a great occasion for all of us that we will have an academy of truly international standards," said SAI secretary Neeraj Kansal, who represented SAI at the Astana meeting. Incidentally, SAI is funding the academy entirely.
As per the agreement, the WCC's primary objective will be develop and coach the Track National Team of India, maximize the use of existing structures to develop track cycling activities in the country. In order to achieve the set goals, there will be a two-pronged strategy of development of the Indian track team and then host, train and develop 10 best athletes from the national team besides four best coaches every year. The world body's WCC will also develop administrative and technical staff to run a full-fledged centre at New Delhi.
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