No Tokyo tickets for Saina, Srikanth

As BWF rules out any further qualifying rounds for the Games due to pandemic

Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth's ticket to Tokyo Olympics is all but over as the world governing body of badminton has ruled out the qualifiers, due to the pandemic.

"It is sad that the best player of our country will not be in attendance for the Games, but I skeptical about the Games happening in general," said the Indian badminton coach Gopichand while talking to FPJ.

"With the pandemic still around I still doubt that the Games will ever he held," said Gopi.

"The Badminton World Federation (BWF) can confirm no further tournaments will be played inside the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifying window. As such, while the qualification period officially closes 15 June 2021 as per the Revised Tokyo 2020 Qualification System, the current Race To Tokyo rankings list will not change," the world body said.

Former world no 1 Srikanth and London Games bronze-medallist Saina's hopes were all but dashed when the last of the Olympic qualifiers in Singapore was cancelled due to the COVID19 pandemic.

The duo had hung on a slim hope when the governing body said it ' will issue a further statement on Tokyo Olympics qualifying at a later date'.

Four Indians, PV Sindhu, Sai Praneeth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty are the players who have qualified for the JulyAugust Olympics in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Japan extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for 20 more days on Friday, with infections still not slowing as it prepares to host the Olympics in just over 50 days.

On the other hand, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee hinted on Friday that even local fans may be barred from venues when the games open in just under two months.