The players wanted relaxation in COVID-19 standard operating procedures. The Sports Authority of India called off the national badminton camp instead of taking any risks.
The three-week camp for the Thomas and Uber Cup world team championships was to start at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad from September 7.
SAI had made it mandatory for all the 26 campers to stay in quarantine for seven days before getting together for the training. It is said the Hyderabad-based players wanted to stay at their homes.
The Badminton Authority of India and the players were not in favour of the mandatory quarantine.
National selector U Vimal Kumar has confirmed that the “SAI had made it clear that it can’t make any concession on the quarantine protocols and left it to BAI to decide on the camp. So after deliberation, it was decided today that it will be difficult for players to follow it”.
The players will now continue to train at their respective centres. The teams, however, will assemble in Hyderabad before departure for the championships in Denmark.
The Thomas Cup is rescheduled form October 3 to 11 in Aarhus, Denmark.
BAI general secretary Ajay Singhania has also confirmed that the camp was called off. “After a lot of deliberations and multi-label meetings with all stakeholders including Sports Authority of India, we have decided to cancel the camp,” he said.
“With the SOP implemented and quarantine procedures followed, there will not be enough time to conduct a camp and hence it was a decision taken in consultation with the five selectors and the National Coach.”
Meanwhile, BAI has also confirmed that PV Sindhu and K Srikanth will respectively lead the Uber Cup and Thomas Cup teams.
Since the camp is called off, it was decided to pick the players on the basis of their BWF rankings.