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Both the men’s and women’s national teams were stuck at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) South Centre in Bengaluru since March 25 when the government announced the nationwide lockdown to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, barring a few, most of the team members returned to their native places after being granted the break.
“Most of the players of both the men’s and women’s teams returned to their native places on Friday morning after being given a month’s break. They were feeling homesick which they had already conveyed to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju during their virtual interaction,” a Hockey India source told PTI.
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“Suraj didn’t go because of the grave situation in Mumbai while Sushila, Vandana, and Lalremsiami stayed back because of the COVID-19 protocols in their respective states,” the source said.
While Sushila is from Manipur, Vandana and Lalremsiami hail from Uttarakhand and Mizoram respectively.
The support staff of the men’s team, including chief coach Graham Reid, had to stay put in Bengaluru because of the restrictions on international travel.
However, women’s team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne and analytical coach Janneke Schopman, both from the Netherlands, are currently on their way back home via Mumbai.It has been learned that both the teams are expected to reassemble at the SAI South Centre in Bengaluru on July 19.