Yuki, Sanjita excluded from TOPS

India's top singles players Yuki Bhambri has been excluded from the TOPS scheme following his decision to skip Asian Games.

Yuki was exempted by All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) from Asian Games as he stood a good chance of qualifying for the main draw of US Open. The decision was taken in the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) that met on Thursday to clear funding proposals regarding training, competition and equipment needs.

“The committee has also decided to exclude men's singles player Yuki Bhambri from the TOPS scheme as he will not be playing in the Asian Games,” SAI stated in a release.

On the other hand, doubles specialist Divij Sharan, 32, has been included in the TOPS scheme till the Asian Games.

The MOC also sanctioned financial support for 12 weeks, starting May 7, to doubles exponent Rohan Bopanna for his coach and physio.

“A total of Rs 26.03 Lakhs has been sanctioned by the committee to Rohan Bopanna for the use of a coach and physio for a period of 12 weeks starting 7th May. Bopanna, who is a part of India's 2018 Asian Games squad, is a prolific doubles player and reached the semifinals of the mixed doubles event in the 2016 Olympics," SAI stated.

Sanjita Chanu dropped

The 2018 Commonwealth Gold medallist Sanjita Chanu, who has been suspended by International Weightlifting Federation after testing positive for steroid testosterone, has been dropped from the TOPS.

The committee also decided to hire the services of physiotherapist Shrikant Iyengar for four weightlifters Mirabai Chanu, Rakhi Halder, Jeremy and Pardeep Singh, for a period of five and a half months starting June 15 at an expense of Rs 1.76 lakh.

The financial assistance to various athletes was also revealed by MOC. In shooting, a total of Rs 65.42 lakh and other costs (air ticket, visa) has been sanctioned to trap shooters Shreyasi Singh, Seema Tomar, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Ankur Mittal and Shardul Vihan for their training and participating in international competition in Italy ahead of the Asian Games. Also, a total of Rs 1.43 lakh has been approved for the purchase of ammunition for CWG 2018 gold medal winner Anish Bhanwala.

In squash, the committee also ratified the approval of Rs 4.91 lakhs given to squash player Joshna Chinappa for a month's training in Bristol, United Kingdom ahead of the Asian Games.

The committee ratified the approval of a total of Rs. 9.53 lakh to five archers Abhishek Verma, V Jyothi Surekha, Atanu Das, Deepika Kumari and Bombayla Devi along with their coach Jiwanjot Singh Teja for participation in the World Cup Stage 3 Archery in the USA from June 16-25.