New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS): The Sports Ministry has cleared the Indian men's hockey team's tour of South Africa for a training camp followed by a four-nation event ahead of their campaign in the upcoming FIH Pro League and the Olympic Games to be held later this year.

The Indian team will head to South Africa later this month to train for the upcoming Olympic Games. The senior men’s team, who will be training in Cape Town for 15 days from January 14 onwards, will also be competing against the national teams from South Africa, France and the Netherlands during this period.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport (MYAS) has approved financial assistance for the training of 26 athletes and 9 coaches and support staff for this period.

The financial assistance of over Rs. 1.30 crore will cover their airfare, boarding and lodging charges, visa fees, medical insurance costs, food supplements and physiotherapy consumable costs among other expenses.

The Indian women’s hockey team will also prepare for the upcoming Paris Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi. The Women’s team will be training and acclimatising in Jharkhand for a week ahead of the FIH Qualifiers that take place from January 13 onwards.