Mumbai
Both Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy have been cleared to participate in the ongoing Yonex Thailand Open after the fourth round of tests reports confirmed that both shuttlers have been tested negative for COVID-19.
It was the timely intervention by Badminton Association of India (BAI), taking up the matter with topmost BWF officials to ensure if tests were negative, matches for respective players should be rescheduled and no walkover is given.
After continuous efforts from BAI including doctors being sent immediately when Kidambi Srikanth started bleeding were taken up. BWF and Badminton Thailand were cooperative and BAI thank all the stakeholders for their support including the tournament organisers.
The matches of Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap will be rescheduled for tomorrow. However, Kashyap's participation will depend on the result of his test conducted in the afternoon.
Both the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Association of India (BAI) confirmed the development.
"Both Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy have been cleared to participate in the ongoing Yonex Thailand Open after the fourth-round tests reports confirmed that both shuttlers have been tested negative for COVID-19," BAI said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, chaos gripped India's campaign at the tournament when Olymic medallist Saina was forced out following a positive COVID-19 test, while Prannoy's participation hung in balance after his sample came out negative following a positive result in a bizarre turn of events.
Former Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashyap too was forced to withdraw "due to close proximity" with wife and fellow shuttler Saina.
But the day, which also witnessed a shock first-round exit of reigning world champion and Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu, ended on a better note for the Indians following the two shuttlers' clearance.
