Gopichand academy shut after player, physio test positive
NEW DELHI: Barely a week after the national badminton camp for elite players opened, the Pullela Gopichand academy in Hyderabad was shut on Thursday for sanitisation after doubles specialist N Sikki Reddy and physiotherapist C Kiran tested positive for Covid-19.
Reddy is India’s highest ranked women’s (world No 28 with Ashwini Ponnappa) and mixed doubles (No 27 with Pranaav Jerry Chopra) player. Those who returned to train at the academy, including world champion PV Sindhu, have gone into home quarantine. It is not clear when training will resume.
“Both Sikki and Kiran are aysmptomatic. All primary contacts of Sikki and Kiran have been traced and are being given the RT
PCR test again,” a Sports Authority of India (SAI) statement said.
The two were found positive when results of the mandatory Covid-19 tests taken by the players, coaches, and administrative and support staff came. “All necessary precautions as per protocol are being taken so that players can come back for training safely and as soon as possible,” chief national coach Gopichand said. Some results came in on Wednesday while the others— like Reddy—were informed about their report on Thursday. “They are in home quarantine. There will be another round of tests five or six days later. All decisions will be taken after that,” said an official.
The camp was shut since March and It finally resumed on August 7, after the Telangana government allowed the opening of stadiums from August 5.
Only eight Olympic probables are in the initial training group— Reddy, Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth, Ashwini Ponnappa, Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. Sindhu, Sai Praneeth and Reddy started training from the first day, Srikanth joined on Monday. Olympic bronze medallist Nehwal is training with husband P Kashyap at another centre in Hyderabad. She is due to join the camp after more court time.