India Open badminton likely sans spectators

NEWDELHI: The India Open Super 500 tournament, a crucial event for the Tokyo Olympics qualification, will be held without any spectators due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Badminton Association of India (BAI) said on Wednesday. The $400,000 event was under threat in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

However, BAI and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Wednesday issued a statement, making it clear that the event will go ahead as originally planned adding that precautionary measures will be taken for the conduct of the tournament.

“The YONEX-SUNRISE India Open 2020 to be staged in New Delhi from 24-29 March will go ahead as planned,” the statement said. “Enhanced precautionary measures will be in place to ensure the welfare and safety of players, their entourage and officials.” One of the precautions taken by the organisers is to restrict entry of people inside the stadium. “..to ensure safety of everybody we have decided not to allow any spectator this time,” BAI general secretary, Ajay K Singhania said.

“Fans can watch the matches on youtube for the initial days while Hotstar will show the matches from quarterfinal onwards,” he said.

The government has made a 14-day quarantine mandatory for the people coming from Korea, Iran and Italy to India. According to the advisory, passengers arriving directly or indirectly from China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan must undergo medical screening at the port of entry.