A 16-year-old youngster, whose passion for competitive cycling suffered a setback when he lost his job at an eatery during the COVID-19 pandemic, will soon become a trainee at the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) which comes under the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Riyaz had won a silver medal at the state level in Delhi in 2018 with a borrowed bicycle, according to news reported in Hindi daily Dainik Jagran.
Taking to Twitter, Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "I am happy to share that Riyaz will be our SAI trainee very soon. Hon'ble President ji had encouraged this young boy by gifting him a cycle during Eid, and after Diwali, he will be training at India's top cycling Velodrome in Delhi's IG (Indira Gandhi) Stadium."
Cycle from President
Earlier this year, Riyaz had met President Ram Nath Kovind who had gifted him a sports bicycle after the Hindi daily published a report in July detailing how he lost his job as a dishwasher at an eatery in Delhi's Anand Vihar during the COVID-19 during the lockdown.
According to the report, Riyaz will get pocket money and other facilities worth Rs 10,000 and will practice and play on behalf of the Cycling Federation of India (CFI).
"The papers will reach Riyaz's house via post around Diwali. He also said that for the practice of cycling. Riyaz is no longer required to wash clothes at the eatery. Now he will get pocket money of Rs 10,000 every month by SAI, as well as the basic facilities and training facilities necessary for full development," Dainik Jagran quoted Cycling Association of Delhi General Secretary Pramod Kumar as saying.
Gold medal for India
Riyaz said that he dreams to bring a gold medal for the country in cycling. "Earlier I used to practice on the streets of Yamunapar. Now that I have been enrolled in the CFI Academy under Sports Authority of India (SAI), I will work hard and run a bicycle for the country and win a gold medal," he was quoted in the report.
