COVID-19: India shuttlers express shock over reports of Taiwanese player testing positive

India shuttlers, including London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal, expressed shock after reports emerged that a sparring partner of Taiwanese national team, who was in Birmingham during All England Championship, tested positive for Coronavirus.

Former top 10 player HK Vittinghus of Denmark on Friday shared a Taiwanese media report that a 10-year-old sports student, who was at All England Championship, was diagsed positive for COVID-19. Reports said that teenr was a sparring partner of Taiwanese badminton team and he is believed to have travelled in team bus between hotel and arena during All England Championship.

top Indian shuttlers, including Saina and P V Sindhu, had participated in tournament which was held from March 11 to 15. " way ... really really shocked," Saina wrote on her Twitter handle, reacting to report. India's doubles exponent Ashwini Ponappa, who was also in Birmingham for USD 1,00,000 tournament, too expressed concern. "Oh ," she tweeted.

Parupalli Kashyap and Ajay Jayaram also expressed concern at report. Indian shuttlers, including H S Prany and world 10 Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, had pulled out of All England Open championship owing to coronavirus outbreak. Verma brors -- Sourabh and Sameer - are or men's singles players who withdrew, while men's doubles pair of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy had also opted out.

Players, including Saina, Kashyap and Ashwini, had later slammed Badminton World Federation (BWF) for continuing Championship, saying ir safety was compromised for financial gains. Chief national coach Pullela Gopichand had also said it was wrong on BWF's part to put players at risk. All India players returning from Birmingham are currently in self-isolation.