Bangkok: Chaos gripped India’s campaign at the Thailand Open badminton tournament with Saina Nehwal forced out following a positive COVID-19 test. Compatriot HS Prannoy’s participation hung in balance after his sample came out negative after a positive result in a bizarre turn of events. Former Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap too was forced to withdraw ‘due to close proximity’ with wife Saina Nehwal.
“After testing positive, both the players have been taken to the hospital to be isolated for a minimum period 10 days., Kashyap has also withdrawn from the tournament and is quarantined in his hotel room due to close proximity with Nehwal,” the Badminton Association of India (BAI) said in a statement.
However, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said he will be retested after conflicting reports came out of earlier samples.
Saina and Prannoy had recovered from COVID-19 last month. Along with the Indian team they were looking to participate in the Asia leg events comprising the Thailand Open (January 12-17), Toyota Thailand Open (January 19-24) and the HSBC BWF World Tour Finals 2020 (January 27-31).
Saina, a London Olympics bronze-medallist, said she is yet to receive the results of her COVID test. “I still didn’t receive the Covid test report from yesterday. It’s very confusing and today just before the warm up for the match they tell me to go to hospital in Bangkok … Saying that I m positive ..According to rules the report should come in 5 hours.. @bwfmedia (sic),” Saina tweeted.
Saina was scheduled to play Kisona Salvaduray of Malaysia, while Kashyap was supposed to face Canada’s Jason Anthony Ho-Shue in the first round Tuesday. However, Prannoy is scheduled to play his first match on Wednesday, taking on Malaysia’s eighth seed Lee Zii Jia.
“Why no chance of rescheduling the match if false positive?” asked Kashyap in his tweet. BWF said Saina and Kashyap will be subjected to another round of tests later in the day.
“One Indian player remains positive and is in isolation for a minimum of 10 days at the hospital. That person will be tested again today also. The match involving this player was declared a walkover,” the BWF said.
The BWF, however, said ‘the entire Indian team has been categorised high risk by Thai health authorities and all players and team entourage are currently self-quarantining in their rooms at the hotel and will be subject to a PCR test today’.
“Each individual is subject to daily testing until further notice from the Department of Disease Control, but players can continue to play upon producing a negative result,” it added.
Saina, Prannoy, Kashyap alongwith RMV Gurusaidutt and Pranaav Chopra had tested positive last month and had served the mandatory quarantine period. They had also cleared the pre-departure COVID-19 test and also tested negative on arrival in Bangkok.
