B Sai Praneeth, Dhruv Rawat withdraw from India Open after testing positive for COVID-19

Praneeth,
who
won
the
2019
World
Championships
bronze
medal,
along
with
another
shuttler
Dhruv
Rawat
have
tested
positive.

“Yes,
I
have
tested
positive
for
COVID-19
in
RT-PCR
test.
I
had
cold
and
cough
since
yesterday.
I
am
isolating
at
home,”
Praneeth
told
PTI.
“I
will
have
to
wait
for
at
least
a
week
before
testing
again.
It
is
an
important
year
and
there
is
hardly
any
time
to
regain
fitness.
I
hope
I
can
get
back
to
court
quickly.”

Badminton
Association
of
India
(BAI)
general
secretary,
Ajay
Singhania,
too,
confirmed
Praneeth’s
withdrawal
from
the
USD
400,000
tournament.
Rawat
–
double’s
specialist
–
also
tested
positive
for
the
virus
ahead
of
his
departure
for
the
national
capital
to
participate
in
the
tournament
starting
on
Tuesday
(January
11).

“We
have
received
the
withdrawal
of
Sai
Praneeth
and
Dhruv
Rawat
as
both
players
have
tested
positive.
We
are
strictly
monitoring
and
it’s
mandatory
for
all
players
to
update
their
RT-PCR
reports
before
reaching
New
Delhi.
We
are
also
conducting
tests
before
everyone
enters
the
stadium,”
said
Singhania
in
an
official
statement.

In
January
last
year,
Saina
Nehwal
and
HS
Prannoy
had
tested
positive
in
Thailand
but
were
found
to
be
negative
after
re-examination.
Organised
by
the
BAI,
the
2022
edition
of
India
Open
will
be
held
behind
closed
doors
at
the
Indira
Gandhi
Stadium’s
KD
Jadhav
Indoor
Hall,
with
the
governing
body
laying
down
strict
COVID-19
protocols.

“All
the
participating
players
will
be
taking
the
necessary
safety
precautions
right
from
their
arrival
in
New
Delhi
as
per
protocol
and
will
be
tested
every
day
at
the
hotel
and
from
there
they
will
be
having
shuttle
buses
to
come
to
the
stadium,
play
matches
and
go
back
to
the
hotel
again,”
the
BAI
said
in
a
release.

“All
the
players
as
well
as
the
tournament,
match
officials,
BWF
and
BAI
officials,
support
staff,
vendors
and
others
involved
will
have
to
go
through
a
mandatory
COVID
test
each
day
outside
the
stadium,
and
only
after
being
tested
negative
they
will
be
allowed
inside
the
venue.

“BAI
will
not
compromise
on
the
safety
of
the
players
as
well
as
others
involved,
and
will
be
following
all
the
COVID-19
guidelines
given
by
the
government.”

Two-time
Olympic
medallist
P
V
Sindhu
and
World
Championships
bronze
medallist
Lakshya
Sen
were
among
the
Indian
players
who
have
already
arrived
in
the
national
capital
on
Sunday.

Kidambi
Srikanth
is
likely
to
arrive
late
in
the
evening,
while
Saina
will
land
on
Monday.
Top
shuttlers,
including
world
champion
Loh
Kean
Yew
and
three-time
men’s
doubles
world
champion
Mohammad
Ahsan,
had
their
first
training
session
here
on
Sunday.

(With
PTI
inputs)