BWF to ensure comfortable COVID testing after Srikanth left with nosebleed

BWF said on Wednesday it will work with Thai health authorities to ensure “comfortable” COVID-19 testing conditions at the Thailand Open.

K. Srikanth was left with a bloody nose after a fourth COVID-19 testing during the Thailand Open. - AP

Badminton’s governing body (BWF) said on Wednesday it will work with Thai health authorities to ensure “comfortable” COVID-19 testing conditions at the Thailand Open after Indian shuttler K. Srikanth was left with a bloody nose following a test.

The World No. 14 had described tests conducted at the event as “unacceptable” in a tweet that was accompanied by an image of blood dripping down his face following a fourth mandatory test on Tuesday.

The BWF said Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) had explained that Srikanth’s issue arose due to his most recent test “possibly causing irritation and fragility of the capillaries.”

“When the swab was repeated on Tuesday, and factoring in the athlete’s tense nature, the position of the stick in the nasal passage was misaligned, which caused the slight bleeding noticed from the tip of the swab,” BAT said in statement issued by BWF.

“The COVID-19 staff member didn’t notice bleeding from the athlete’s nose and there was no complaint from Kidambi... It’s not known whether he had blown his nose or stuck tissue up his nostrils which could have caused more blood vessels to rupture.”