new delhi extension of nationwide lockdown till may 3 has made coaches and athletes anxious waiting for outdoor training to resume post the conclusion of the first phase of lockdown on april 14 coaches and athletes of at least two prominent disciplines havent particularly taken a liking to the governments decision to impose another round of lockdowntoi has learnt that chief coaches of two disciplines have requested the sports authority of india sai to allow resumption of outdoor training within the regional centres premises for at least two hours each in morning and evening following proper social distancing rules as mandated by the government one of the requests has come from nis facility in patiala where athletes were training as part of the national camp for the nowpostponed tokyo olympics before the countrywide lockdown was announced on march 24with the epidemic disease act eda and the disaster management act dma in place nationally the coaches athletes and support staff have been forced to lock themselves up in their respective hostel rooms on the sai campus with minimal or zero interaction its just the virtual world online coaching sessions and fitness updates ever since the lockdown coaches havent seen their athletes and dont know much about their physical fitness physical training has been compromised to a great extent and that cant be the case in an endurance or power sport said a coach on condition of anonymitytoi understands that coaches and athletes have been strictly directed by federations not to speak outofturn without obtaining prior permission while the coaches and athletes managed the first phase the second chapter of lockdown has started affecting them mentally the athletes have been putting pressure on coaches to resume outdoor training and coaches in turn have been writing to their respective federations to work out a middle path with the sai the sports federations too have acknowledged their athletes frustration and want sai to offer some concessionthis is what coaches and athletes have demanded train at the ground within the premises with no outsider staff member allowed on the playing field during the practice durationtain as individuals or in a very small group for fixed hours beginning at different times with a considerable gap in training hours