New Delhi: The Indian Open Tournament on Thursday was rocked by a Pandemic Covid-19 with as many as seven Indian shuttlers, including the Silver Medal of the Silver Medal Kidambi Srikanth, withdrew from the event after testing the virus positive.
The Federation of Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced this in Wee time, before the Indian Badminton Association (BII) confirmed the names.
In addition to Srikanth, another player withdrawn was Ashwini Ponnappa, Ritika Rahul Thakkar, Treesa Jolly, Mithun Manjunath, Simran Safe Singh and Khushi Gupta.
“The players returned positive results with the RT-PCR mandatory test conducted on Tuesday.
The double partner who is considered a close contact of seven players has also been withdrawn from the tournament,” said the World Government Agency in a statement.
“The players will not be replaced in the main lottery and their opponents will be given a walkover to the next round.” Initially, BWF did not reveal the names of seven players.
Previously, B Sai Praneeth, WORLD 2019 Championship Bronze Winner, Manu Attri Double Specialist and Dhru Rawat had been tested positive for viruses ahead of their departure for the national capital and had been pulled out before the start of the tournament.
All English badminton contingents have also been drawn before the Super 500 program after the country’s double specialist Sean Vendy and coach Nathan Robertson was tested positive for the virus.
Beorganized by Bai, Open India 2022 edition is being held behind a closed door at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Jadhav Indoor Hall.
In accordance with the Covid-19 protocol, all participating players are being tested every day at the hotel and outside the stadium.
Olympic Medal Twice PV Sindhu, World Championship of the Silver and Bronze Force Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen, London Games Bronze Winner Saina Nehwal is among Indian players who have reached the second round of tournaments.
Among the international stars, world champion Loh Kean Yew, a world champion twice, Mohammad Ahsan, and Thailand in Ongbamrungphan competed in the tournament, which was held for the first time in three years after the cancellation of the last two editions due to a pandemic.
Delhi reported 27,561 Covid-19 cases, the second highest single-day increase since the pandemic began, and 40 deaths on Wednesday.