World badminton number one Momota positive for COVID-19, Japan to miss Thailand Open

TOKYO: Badminton world number one Kento Momota tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday (Jan 3), prompting the withdrawal of all Japan's players from this month's Thailand Open, Japan's Badminton Association said.

"Momota has tested positive for the coronavirus, and the association has decided not to send any players, including Momota, to Thailand," an association official told AFP.

Momota was looking to make his international comeback in Bangkok after almost a year out following a car crash that left him with serious injuries.

National broadcaster NHK said the 26-year-old tested positive at Narita airport ahead of the Japan team's departure for Thailand.

An association official confirmed that none of the other 22 Japan players tested positive, but said the entire team would withdraw nonetheless.

Momota won the All-Japan championships last week in his first competition since his accident last January, when the vehicle taking him to the airport after he won the Malaysia Masters crashed, killing the driver.

Momota feared his career might be over after fracturing an eye socket in the accident, and admitted his "spirit was almost broken" after undergoing surgery.

The rescheduled Thailand Open is one of three tournaments taking place in Thailand this month, following disruptions to the badminton world tour schedule last year.

READ: World badminton number one Momota back from car crash with a win

Tokyo reported 816 new daily COVID-19 cases on Sunday, a day after governors from the capital and neighboring prefectures called on the Japanese government to announce a state of emergency to combat a recent surge in cases.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has resisted calls for a second national state of emergency; the government first introduced that measure in April during an earlier wave of the pandemic. Suga is scheduled to speak publicly on Jan 4.

Japan's health ministry said on Sunday there were 3,045 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country.

Since the start of the pandemic, Japan has reported more than 240,000 cases of the novel coronavirus and 3,548 deaths, according to the health ministry. 

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