India forced to withdraw from Malaysian Open Badminton due to COVID travel restrictions

The travel restriction imposed on India by various countries has started impacting the country's sports. Various countries have imposed temporary travel restrictions as India is battling the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the Indian Badminton Team has been forced to withdraw from the Malaysian Open which is scheduled to take place from May 25 to 30, due to a temporary travel restriction imposed by the local government on travellers. 

Badminton Association of India (BAI) in a press release informed that the Sports Ministry of India through the Ministry of External Affairs had reached out to the Malaysian government to permit the Indian Badminton Team to travel to Malaysia and participate in the tournament, however, the Malaysian authorities did not comply with it. "The Sports Ministry, through the Ministry of External Affairs, approached the Malaysian authorities requesting to permit the Indian team to participate, but owing to the rise in Covid 19 cases in India, the Malaysian government has informed the Indian High Commission in Malaysia that the travel of the team cannot be presently permitted," said BAI press release. 

Malaysian authorities imposed a travel ban on India on April 28, 2021. The Malaysian Open is essential for the Indian shuttlers keeping the upcoming Olympics in mind. It is to be noted that the tournament is one of the last qualification events for the postponed Tokyo Olympics. All top Indian singles and doubles players like PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth, Sai Praneeth, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ashwini Ponnappa and Sikki Reddy were due to participate. 

'Matter taken to Badminton World Federation'- BAI

The Badminton Association of India on its Twitter handle revealed that it has written to both the member countries (Malaysia and Singapore) to consider the request as a special case and the matter has also been taken to the Badminton World Federation. "Indian nationals won’t be allowed in Malaysia as well as in Singapore, this is already in public knowledge. This is why we had written to both the Member Countries to consider our request as a special case with respect to the Olympic qualification of some of our players. The matter has been taken up with BWF as well and we are awaiting Badminton Malaysia’s response. Until they decline any possibility we will continue to pursue every opportunity that we have to send our shuttlers," wrote BAI on its Twitter handle. 

Tokyo Olympics Athletes And Staff To Get Pfizer COVID Vaccine

In the latest development, US pharmaceuticals giant Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have announced a deal with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to vaccinate competitors and staff at the Tokyo games which are scheduled to be held later in 2021. The international multi-sport event is scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8 in the capital of Japan, Tokyo. 'We are proud to play a role in providing vaccines for athletes and national Olympic delegations', said Pfizer Chairman & CEO Albert Bourla on the company's official Twitter handle. 

(Image Credits: PTI)