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Regular-article-logo Friday, 26 April 2024

Parupalli Kashyap at crossroads due to coronavirus outbreak

Kashyap sought the help of Indian officials over the new travel curbs

TT Bureau Calcutta Published 12.03.20, 10:05 PM
Parupalli Kashyap

Parupalli Kashyap (Picture: Twitter/@parupallik)

Parupalli Kashyap, Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Saina Nehwal’s husband, on Thursday said India shuttlers in Birmingham need more clarity over India’s fresh travel advisory issued on Wednesday in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

“All incoming travellers, including Indian nationals arriving from any destination and having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain and Germany on or after February 15, 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days. This will come into effect from 1200 GMT on March 13, 2020 at the port of departure of such travellers,” the advisory said.

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“Are we are going to be quarantined for two weeks? If so, then we have to adjust our schedule according to Olympic qualification and tournament requirements. A couple of people are very close to the Olympic qualification. Now if we are quarantined for 14 days, then we will have to decide on which tournament is important,” Kashyap said.

Kashyap along with Saina, Sai Praneeth and Kidambi Srikanth are currently in Birmingham and all of them lost in the first round of the ongoing All England Badminton Championships.

Earlier on Thursday, Kashyap sought the help of Indian officials over the new travel curbs with a tweet. But till 9.34pm IST he didn’t hear from the health ministry or the Indian high commission. “Nothing yet,” Kashyap said in a WhatsApp message to The Telegraph.

UK is not on the list of countries mentioned in the advisory but all the four shuttlers had travelled to Barcelona for the Spain Masters from February 18 and 23.

“If quarantined, we would not be able to play the Swiss Open (March 17-22) and the India Open (March 24-29),” Kashyap said.

“If we are going to Swiss Open and return, then we can’t play India Open and Malaysia Open. They have now said all the foreign players’ visas are not valid. If visas of foreign players are not allowed and we are going to be quarantined for 14 days, then how will the India Open take place?

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