Asia-Oceania Judo Championships: Two Indian players test COVID-19 positive, team forced to pull out

By Nitin Srivastava
New Delhi [India], April 7 (ANI): Indian judokas have been barred from participating in the ongoing Asia-Oceania Judo Championships 2021 after two players returned positive for coronavirus in the test conducted upon reaching Kyrgyzstan.
The Indian contingent of 19 members comprising 15 athletes and four coaches had returned negative for COVID-19 before leaving the shores for the megaevent in Kyrgyzstan.
However, two Indian athletes were found to be COVID positive in the latest round of testing conducted in Kyrgyzstan. As a result, all other members have been quarantined and the two COVID positive athletes were shifted to hospital.
"Before leaving India there was two round of test conducted and all athletes had tested negative. Upon reaching there one test happened and one athlete was found positive. Later on, one more round of test was conducted and another athlete was found positive," a source in the known development told ANI.
"As of now the athletes who tested positive have been shifted to COVID facility hospital and the rest of the athletes are in complete isolation," the source added.
The Asia-Oceania Senior Championships kick-started on Tuesday and will be held till Friday.
A source in the ministry said the athletes who have returned negative for coronavirus might be brought back to India with the help of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). (ANI)