Indian shuttlers Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy have tested positive for coronavirus and been forced to withdraw from the ongoing Thailand Open in Bangkok, the Badminton Association of India said on Tuesday.
Nehwal withdrew from her opening match at the Thailand Open against Malaysia’s Kisona Selvaduray on Tuesday after testing positive for Covid-19. She and Prannoy returned positive in their third Covid-19 test in Bangkok.
According to a report from The Times of India, the duo, along with Parupalli Kashyap, who was a close contact, has been asked to head to the hospital to quarantine for 10 days.
Kashyap was scheduled to play Jason Anthony Ho-Shue of Canada on Tuesday and according to the report, although he returned negative, he has been forced to get quarantined.
Nehwal had last week lashed out at the Badminton World Federation for restricting training time and denying the players access to physios ahead of the upcoming tournaments in Thailand.
In a series of tweets, the Olympic bronze-medallist had expressed her displeasure at the restrictions imposed by BWF as part of its coronavirus protocols in the bio-secure bubble.
An Indian contingent is currently in the Thai capital to take part in the BWF World Tour Finals and two Super 1000 events, where the world’s top players return following a long break brought about by the pandemic.
