By Chetan Sharma

New Delhi, Sep 3 (IANS): Olympic-bound wrestler Bajrang Punia on Thursday advised his fellow grapplers to not break COVID-19 protocol at the national camp in Sonepat.

According to a source, eight men wrestlers have reached the venue so far and they all are inside their rooms, serving a mandatory 14 days quarantine period. "If all goes well then the camp will begin from September 15," the source had told IANS.

Concerned with the rise in the number of coronavirus cases in India, Bajrang said it is everybody's responsibility to keep each other safe.

Speaking to IANS over phone from Sonepat, Bajrang said: "I am under quarantine and like me, other wrestlers are also following the protocol. It is our responsibility to keep each other safe. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has made all these rules and regulations for our safety only. We can't just ignore it at any cost.

"There was also an online meeting of SAI officials with us. They assured us all the help. We are finally getting a chance to train properly in a camp and we must make sure that it starts and ends on a positive note. We should not break any protocol," he emphasised.

Wrestlers in five freestyle categories -- 57kg, 65kg, 74kg, 86kg, and 125kg – and those in the 60kg, 77kg, and 87kg weight groups have been selected for Greco Roman for the month long camp that has been sanctioned by the SAI till September 30.