India Open: Srikanth, 6 other players withdrawn after testing positive for Covid

New Delhi, January 13

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The India Open tournament was on Thursday rocked by the Covid pandemic with as many as seven Indian shuttlers, including reigning world championship silver medallist Kidambi Srikanth, withdrawing from the event after testing positive for the virus.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced this in the wee hours, before the Badminton Association of India (BAI) confirmed the names.

Besides Srikanth, the other players withdrawn are Ashwini Ponnappa, Ritika Rahul Thakar, Treesa Jolly, Mithun Manjunath, Simran Aman Singh and Khushi Gupta.

“The players returned a positive result to a mandatory RT-PCR test conducted on Tuesday. Doubles partners deemed close contact of the seven players have also been withdrawn from the tournament,” the world governing body said in a statement.

“The players will not be replaced in the main draw and their opponents will be given a walkover to the next round.”

Initially, the BWF didn’t reveal the names of the seven players.

Earlier, B Sai Praneeth, the 2019 world championship bronze medallist, double specialists Manu Attri and Dhruv Rawat had tested positive for the virus ahead of their departure for the national capital and had pulled out before the start of the tournament.

The entire England badminton contingent had also withdrawn ahead of the Super 500 event after the country’s doubles specialist Sean Vendy and coach Nathan Robertson tested positive for the virus.

Organised by the BAI, the 2022 edition of India Open is being held behind closed doors at the Indira Gandhi Stadium’s KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.

As per the Covid protocols, all the participating players are being tested every day at the hotel and outside the stadium.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, World Championships silver and bronze medallists Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen, and London Games bronze winner Saina Nehwal are among the Indian players who have reached the second round of the tournament.