Testing time for shuttlers before training begins

PETALING JAYA: The national shuttlers will face some testing times before they return to training.

Every member of the Road to Tokyo badminton team, who are returning from their homes, will have to go through a Covid-19 throat swab test before they can train at the Academy Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara.

National coaching director Wong Choong Hann said the swab test would be done when the players report for training on Monday.

“They will then self-quarantine themselves on Monday and Tuesday in their rooms at the hostel. When the test results are out, those who test negative get to start the social distancing training,” said Choong Hann.

“So, we are looking at June 3 as our official training day. Another test will be carried out on the fifth day but training will go on as usual. The final test is on the 14th day.”

After the Road to Tokyo shuttlers are cleared of any sign of the virus after the 14th day, the second batch of players would join the training session to prepare for the Thomas-Uber Cup Finals from Oct 3-11 in Aarhus, Denmark.

Choong Hann added: “We will be following all the SOP (standard operating procedures) that have been set. The health of everyone involved is the priority,” he added.

Meanwhile, the 77 juniors at ABM will be the last batch to resume training. The top juniors are preparing for the World Junior Championships.

The world junior meet had been scheduled to be held in New Zealand from Sept 28-Oct 11 but yesterday, the Badminton World Federation announced that it had been deferred to Jan 11-24 next year at the same venue in Auckland.