New NCA to Open Facilities for Neeraj Chopra and Other Olympic Sportspersons Says BCCI Secretary Jay Shah

The new state-of-the-art NCA being constructed on the outskirts of Bangalore won’t just house cricketers but shall be open for Olympians to utilize the facilities as well, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah stated.

Since the existing NCA’s establishment in 2000, it has been running from the premises of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in the heart of the city.

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), which owns the stadium, had rented out to the BCCI its Ground B for outdoor practice, besides an indoor practice facility, and separate space for a modern gymnasium.

The new facility will also have state-of-the-art training, recovery, and sports science facilities to provide comprehensive support to athletes, helping them maintain peak physical condition and recover efficiently from injuries.

In a recent interview with Times of India, Shah talked about how the NCA shall also be opening their doors for Olympians such as Neeraj Chopra as well to make use of the facilities for training.

“We are going to make it available for Olympic sportspersons too like Neeraj Chopra,” Shah told TOI.

Neeraj Chopra clinched a silver medal in the men’s javelin throw final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, his second medal at the Summer Games – which makes him India’s most successful Olympian.

Neeraj bagged silver with a distance of 89.45m as Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem broke the Olympic record with a 92.97m effort and won gold.

Despite Neeraj missing the gold by a whisker, BCCI secretary Jay Shah came forward to congratulate him for his inspirational campaign.

Taking to his official social media handle on X (formerly Twitter), Shah commended Neeraj for his valiant effort and commitment in the final.

“Back-to-back Olympic medals for our star, Neeraj Chopra! India’s first silver medal at the #Paris2024 Olympics, and what a way to achieve it! You might have fallen short of the gold, but your commitment and effort in the final were really inspiring!,” Shah tweeted.

With his silver, Chopra became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two Olympic medals. The 26-year-old Haryana-based javelin star had won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.