A 15-member Indian judo team was forced to withdraw from the ongoing Asia-Oceania Olympic qualifier in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan after two judokas – Ajay Yadav and Ritu, made it to COVID-19 just before the tournament began. Tested positive. Yadav, Judoka and Ritu (52 kg) of 73 kg category tested positive in the second test conducted after landing in Kyrgyzstan and both are asymptomatic. This became the first event of the Indian contingent campaign derailed in an Olympic qualifier due to the dreaded virus.
All 15 judokas and four coaches went negative in the first Test after landing in the Central Asian country.
The entire 19-member team is currently in quarantine at a hotel in Bishkek.
Team coach Jiwan Sharma said, “There was a test after landing in Kyrgyzstan on April 4 and we all returned negative. But in the second Test on April 5, Ajay and Ritu returned positive before the tournament started.” Osh
“Ajay and Ritu are asymptomatic and they are isolated in their respective rooms. They are in high spirits and we are talking to them through the phone and encouraging them.”
The Asia-Oceania Championship in Bishkek began on Tuesday and will end on Saturday.
Under tournament rules, if a player tests positive, the entire team will have to be eliminated. Prominent judokas in the team included Shushila Devi (women’s 48 kg), Jasleen Singh Saini (men’s 66 kg), Tulika Mann (women’s 78 kg) and Avtar Singh (men’s 100 kg).
All four were in the race for a continental quota place. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) said in a statement that the two judokas who tested positive for COVID-19 “do not have major symptoms and have been quarantined in a safe facility”.
“Judoka took four rounds of examinations between March 30 and April 5 – two before going to (India) and one after landing in a bishopc and one day before the competition.
“It was during the fourth test before the competition that both were found to be COVID positive,” SAI said.
“Players are safe in a hotel with their daily requirements seen from the money allocated to them as a daily allowance for the competition.”
The rest of the contestants are also in quarantine at the same hotel in Bishkek and the team management is seeking assistance from the Indian embassy there.
“We are talking to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) as well as the Indian embassy here. We are requesting that some members who are testing negative be allowed to return home. Obviously, both the players will be taken care of. .
“We’ll know in a day or two.” SAI said that the Sports Ministry is in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs to bring the players back home safely.
Earlier, a source in the Judo Federation of India (JFI) blamed the JFI for the fiasco, stating that the federation has jeopardized the country’s prospects by allowing the entire team to travel together.
“The entire squad, including four coaches, traveled to Bishkek together which could have been avoided.
“As the entire team traveled together and one player turned positive upon arrival, it took into account the hopes of others. This could have been avoided.”
Sharma said that Indian judokas would have two more tournaments to try and qualify for the Olympics.
Promoted
“There is a Grand Prix event in Russia in May and then a World Championship in Hungary in June. We still have a chance,” he said.
“But we have only one quota place in all weight categories, whoever accumulates maximum marks will get the only quota place.”
Topics mentioned in this article
.
Leave a Reply