Indian sport has pressed the restart button, albeit in a staggered way, over the last two and half months.

The resumption of training though has been blighted by news of sportspersons and coaching staff testing positive for Covid-19. That, once again, has brought to the fore the debate on whether it's the right time to take the plunge.

"Covid-19 is not something that will go away in the next 10 days. So you have to figure out how to deal with it without hampering training. In my facility (SAI-Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy) the residential part is still closed. They are practising at the Academy and going home. Sometime or the other you have to start. So why not today?" national coach Gopichand told The Telegraph from Hyderabad.

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) had allowed the camp for eight Olympic hopefuls to begin following the approval from the Telangana government on August 1, but only four are currently training at the academy.

Last week, SAI had through a statement said shuttler N Sikki Reddy and physiotherapist Kiran C had tested positive for coronavirus. Both of them are part of the ongoing national camp and were asymptomatic.

The duo again got tested and after their reports came negative, the camp resumed from Monday.

However, questions were raised from some quarters if the SAI was right in going ahead with the camp without creating a bio-bubble.

The shuttlers are not staying in a bio-secure environment, even though the academy does have space to accommodate players and coaches.

"We started the national camp (on August 7) with a few Olympic hopefuls following all the safety protocols. The part where Sikki practised was closed after sanitising. My message would be 'do not live in fear, start training'," Gopi added.

Hockey is one discipline which also believes in Gopi's way of thinking. Despite six men's team players, including captain Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, testing positive, SAI went ahead with the men's and women's camps at SAI Bangalore from Wednesday. The affected six, in the meantime, had recovered and were discharged from the hospital.

The decision to go ahead with the camp though drew flak from former India captain Zafar Iqbal. "It beats me, frankly. Six players had Covid-19, and there will be a camp! We do not have anything before next April. So why are we hell bent on organising a camp now?" he said.

India's next assignment is the men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy - scheduled to be held from November 17 to 27 in Dhaka. It is likely to be postponed, and that's why Iqbal is questioning the need to continue with the camp.

The world badminton federation (BWF) though announced that Thomas and Uber Cups would be played from October 3-11 in Aarhus, Denmark.

"My point is simple. If our respected home minister (Amit Shah) can get affected, it can happen to anybody. Virus doesn't see who you are," shooting coach Jaspal Rana reasoned.

The National Rifle Association of India postponed its plans for a centralised camp for its Olympic core group shooters at the Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi from August 1 after one women's team coach tested positive and some shooters from outside the National Capital Region voiced their apprehensions about travelling from their respective native places.

"When you are travelling it's risky. You may contract the disease from the person handling your ammunition. Isn't it? So I am against centralised training at this point in time," Jaspal, whose name has been recommended for this year's Dronacharya Award, said.

Mansher Singh, the chief coach of the Indian shotgun team said all the shooting ranges should be open post-September. "That's my view. Let's open up, after September. In shooting, anyway, you always maintain social distancing. I would advocate pre-booked sessions, which will allow less number of people in the range," he said.

Archer Atanu Das also believes that some time or other sporting activities have to start. Archery camp begins from August 25 at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.

"We have to begin. How long can we wait? But bio-secure environment is a must. Like when we reach Pune, we will be quarantined for 14 days and then the camp begins for 15 days as of now. The duration may get extended later," Atanu, who is in line for this year's Arjuna Award, said.

Both Gopi and Atanu however said the time hasn't come for tournaments yet. "May be a league where you have six participating teams with five players and seven support staff. So that makes around 72 people. You keep them in one hotel and they can travel to the venue for the matches. That can happen. But if you ask me about badminton nationals, I am sorry, not yet," was Gopi's take.

"With so many athletes, tournaments will be very risky," said Atanu. "Let's start with camps first."