All England Open Badminton Championships: 3 Indian badminton players test positive for COVID-19, hours before the Matchday
“What kind of testing is this? 31 hours later still inconclusive and a re-test again god knows when matches start tomorrow!,” Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli wrote in a tweet.
Three Indian shuttlers tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the All England Championship while a few are awaiting confirmation as their samples were deemed inconclusive as India’s campaign is thrown into chaos before the tournament, starting Wednesday, 17th March. Additionally, several support staffs have also been tested positive leaving players without much practice.
“We have three players and one member from the support staff who have tested positive. I find it completely absurd how this can happen, since we have been isolated in Zurich since the Swiss Open started two weeks ago,” India’s Danish foreign coach Mathais Boe was quoted as saying by sport.tv2.dk.
“We have been tested 5 times in 14 days and all tests have been negative. We have only gotten along with each other, so how can they suddenly test positive?” The names of the players who have tested positive could not be confirmed.
Both Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap have also been left confused after the latter’s test for COVID-19 came ‘inconclusive’ with less than 24 hours before the start of the Super 1000 tournament.
Saina is also awaiting the results of her COVID-19 tests.
“What kind of testing is this? 31 hours later still inconclusive and a re-test again god knows when … matches start tomorrow!,” Commonwealth Games gold medallist Parupalli wrote in a tweet, tagging the world governing body (BWF).
What kind of testing is this ? 31 hours later still inconclusive and a re-test again god knows when … matches start tomorrow ! @YonexAllEngland @bwfmedia #beyondabsurd #ridiculous
— Parupalli Kashyap (@parupallik) March 16, 2021
Saina Nahwal also complained that she couldn’t practice for the tournament. “Ok I have to do this now! Matches are starting tomorrow at the All England and still no reports of the Covid test done 30hrs before. No practice, no gym .. for 2 days now,” she tweeted.
Ok I have to do this now ! Matches are starting tomorrow at the @YonexAllEngland and still no reports of the Covid test done 30hrs before . No practice , no gym .. for 2 days now . 🤷♀️ @bwfmedia
— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) March 16, 2021
This wasn’t the first time Saina was going through such an incident. She experienced a similar instance when she returned positive in a third COVID-19 test in Thailand in January but later was cleared to compete after further investigation.
