new delhi sports minister kiren rijiju on monday said training of elite athletes will resume after the lockdown to contain the covid19 pandemic is lifted urging sportspersons and stakeholders to be patientreiterating a position he first took on may 3 rijiju said health of the athletes is his top priority the lockdown is set to end on may 17 after rising cases forced two extensionsonce the lockdown is lifted we will resume the training of our elite athletes followed by other sai training centres in phased manner i appeal sportspersons and all stakeholders not to rush because health and safety is our top priority presently he tweetedthe national camps at sports authority of india sai centres have been shut since midmarch to contain the virus which has infected over 65000 people and caused more than 2000 deaths in indiarijiju on may 3 had stated that camps for all athletes will resume by may end he said at first training will be restarted for the olympicbound and those who are close to gaining qualificationi thought of starting training of athletes at sai centres from may 3 the earlier stated end for the lockdown now we will have to do that in a phased manner by the end of this monthsports events dont get any relaxations under disaster management act we dont fall under the category of essential services he had statedtrack and field athletes have been requesting the ministry to allow them to train within the campuses of the sai centres they are based at but havent got the nod so farthe ministry is also deliberating on ways to restart training in contact sports such as boxing and wrestlingboth cannot do without sparring which might be considered a health risk at a time when even a touch of the hand is being seen as potentially infectioncausing