In a bid to strengthen the sports infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh, a state-of-the-art National Centre of Excellence has been inaugurated in Lucknow, under the umbrella of Sports Authority of India (SAI). This is an extension over the already existing services under the SAI.

The upgraded sports facility includes a 300-bed hostel, an international-grade wrestling hall and a sports medicine centre which will be utilized for the training of India's elite women wrestlers.

Previously, SAI Lucknow centre was a small facility located in the Sarojini Nagar area near Amausi. This has now been refurbished and improved with the addition of better amenities. This has been done to ensure better training infrastructure for the local athletes.

As a part of the upgraded SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) facility, the pre-existing medicine centre has been equipped with biomechanical machines. Along with this, various sports science experts, as well as sports psychologists, will also be available at the medical centre.

Furthermore, the new 300-bed hostel will be dedicated to women athletes while the two pre-existing hostels of 80 beds each will be utilized to accommodate male wrestlers in the centre. Reportedly, the upgraded SAI NCOA centre in Lucknow was inaugurated this Sunday in the presence of the national Sports Minister.