BWF postpones Thomas and Uber Cup Finals

New Delhi, September 15

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) at present postponed the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Denmark to subsequent yr following withdrawals by many groups because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

India had introduced each the lads’s and ladies’s squads for the celebrated occasion which was scheduled to be held in Aarhus from October three to 11.

However, after Indonesia and South Korea joined Thailand, Australia, Chinese Taipei and Algeria in pulling out as a consequence of Covid-19, the game’s governing physique held a digital emergency council assembly on Sunday.

“The Badminton World Federation, in full consultation and agreement with local host Badminton Denmark, has made the tough decision to postpone the Thomas & Uber Cup Finals 2020 in Aarhus, Denmark,” BWF stated in an announcement. “The decision comes following the withdrawal of a number of participating teams,” it added.

BWF had tried to rope in Singapore and Hong Kong as replacements however they declined the invitation. There have been additionally experiences that Japan was considering withdrawing from the occasion, whereas China too was awaiting authorities’s approval. September 18 was the final date for affirmation.

Saina Nehwal had additionally raised considerations in regards to the timing of the occasion, asking whether or not it might be secure to go forward with it in the midst of the pandemic.

Saina and PV Sindhu have been supposed to steer the 10-member ladies’s crew in Uber Cup, whereas Kidambi Srikanth would have spearheaded the lads’s marketing campaign in Thomas Cup.

However, the crew’s preparations weren’t progressing easily with a proposed camp cancelled a couple of days in the past because of the gamers’ refusal to simply accept the quarantine norms set by the Sports Authority of India.

The Thomas and Uber Cup Finals have been alleged to mark the resumption of worldwide badminton after it got here to a halt in March due to the dreaded virus.

Indians ‘confused’ about Denmark Open participation

In one other choice, BWF has determined to proceed with the Denmark Open, to be held on October 13-18 in Odense.

The choice to go forward with the BWF World Tour occasion has left a couple of Indian gamers, together with Sindhu, Saina and Parupalli Kashyap, confused. “We are still confused what to do under the circumstances,” Kashyap stated. “Saina has got a visa for Denmark and I have applied for it but we are still undecided about participation. There are many questions like what happens if I test positive? Will I be sent back home or will I have to stay there for 14 days? Who takes care of the expenses?”

The Badminton Association of India at present wrote to the gamers who’ve despatched their entries for the Denmark Open, stating that they’d be “travelling or participating at their own responsibility due to the current pandemic” and “have to send their consent by September 17”.

The participation of Sindhu additionally appears uncertain. “We have sent our entry but we have to wait and see because going for one event, taking tests and following quarantine rules… we need to discuss with the coach, look at last year’s result (for ranking points) and then take a decision,” Sindhu’s father Ramana stated. — PTI

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Setback for sport: Vimal Kumar

New Delhi: Former India badminton coach Vimal Kumar at present stated the postponement of the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals was an enormous setback for the game. “What the Asian nations have done, it is really disappointing. There are no major issues in these countries, they are having local events there, so to pull out in this way, is a big setback for the sport,” Vimal stated. “It was an ideal way to revive the circuit. The platform was there. I’ll blame the Asian nations for this mess.”

‘Players need competition’

“I understand the concern that players have but they have to take the onus. It is an individual sport; look how tennis players have done it. The government cannot always do everything for you. Players need competition. If you are eager to play then just go and play and if you are too stressed then better to skip it,” Vimal stated. pti