Saina Nehwal tests negative for COVID-19; cleared for Thailand Open

Olympian shuttler and former world number one Saina Nehwal has been cleared for playing in the in the Thailand Open. The Indian badminton player had tested positive for novel coronavirus earlier on Tuesday. However, further tests revealed that Nehwal had in-fact tested negative for COVID-19, confirmed Badminton Word Federation (BWF).

🚨 BREAKING 🚨@NSaina@PRANNOYHSPRI and Jones Ralfy Jansen have been cleared to resume their place in the YONEX Thailand Open. They tested positive on the PCR test but their antibody IgG was positive. Read more 👇#HSBCbadminton #BWFWorldTourhttps://t.co/Rc8rt3uWLR

- BWF (@bwfmedia) January 12, 2021

Nehwal's husband Parupalli Kashyap had also been taken to the hospital but his reports have not been confirmed as of yet. Earlier in the day, ANI had reported, "Saina Nehwal and HS Prannoy tested positive for COVID. They have been taken to the hospital. P Kashyap has also been taken to hospital but his report status is not confirmed yet". However, HS Prannoy on re-examination tested negative for COVID-19. Prannoy is also expected to continue playing in the tournament.

Notably, Nehwal had recovered from COVID-19 recently and was looking forward to coming back to form as per the Olympics qualifications.

NEWS UPDATE:
Badminton Association of India is in constant touch with @bwf, players, team management and organizers. @himantabiswa@AJAYKUM78068675#badmintonpic.twitter.com/CBilGCpmO4

— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) January 12, 2021

Earlier, Nehwal had, however, claimed that she has still not received the COVID-19 test reports from yesterday.

Nehwal had tweeted, "I still didn't receive the COVID test report from yesterday it's very confusing and today just before the warm up for the match they tell me to go to hospital in Bangkok. Saying that I am positive... according to rules the report should come in 5 hours."

I still didn’t receive the covid test report from yesterday it’s very confusing and today just before the warm up for the match they tell me to got to hospital in bangkok ... saying that I m positive ..according to rules the report should come in 5 hours.. @bwfmediahttps://t.co/ETkWiNVHnP

— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) January 12, 2021

Earlier, Nehwal had raised the issue of physios and trainers not being allowed to meet and interact with the players during the entire tour.  She had raised objections about only one hour time for practice being allotted to the entire team.

She added, "No time for warm ups/ taping/ cool downs/ stretches.. we are talking about the best players in the world competing isn't it? We've spent a lot of money getting the physios and trainers along with us. If they can't help us then why was this not told before?"

Practice only for an hour everyday for the entire team ? Gym timings the same ... considering March being the important Olympic qualification period this is not good enough to be in good shape . @bwfmedia

— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) January 5, 2021

No Time for warm ups / taping / cool downs / stretches..we are talking about the best players in the world competing isn’t it ? We’ve spent a lot of money getting the physios and trainers along with us . If they can’t help us then why was this not told before ? @bwfmedia

— Saina Nehwal (@NSaina) January 5, 2021

Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Kidambi Srikanth and Sai Praneeth had left for Thailand in January first week to compete in the BWF Super 1000 tournaments.

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