RCB appoint Navnita Gautam as Sports Massage Therapist, to become first IPL team to have a woman in support staff

Bengaluru, Oct 17: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is gearing up for the 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Bengaluru-based franchise has appointed some well-acclaimed tacticians with a single objective to enable the players for the best season ahead.

To take this legacy forward, RCB has appointed Navnita Gautam as Sports Massage Therapist.

As per the RCB release, Navnita will be working with Evan Speechly, the Head Physiotherapist and Shanker Basu, Strength & Conditioning Coach to identify, evaluate, provide guidance and implement massage therapy to suit the team and any relevant prevailing conditions.

She will be responsible for performing specialized techniques pertaining to the preparation, motivation, overall supervision and all individual physical ailments relating to the team.

On the appointment, Sanjeev Churiwala, Chairman - Royal Challengers Bangalore said, "I am very pleased to be a part of this moment in history and another step in the right direction. The game has come a long way, in many ways, in terms of the Women's Cricket Team and how many people are watching it, the interest was long due.

"Sport is a great enabler, but it is important to ensure that the principles of equity in participation also extends to its staffing bodies. Increasing participation and success by women in all sporting arenas have made this possible and we at RCB are very thrilled to have found great talent in Navnita."