Asian Champions Trophy: Indian hockey player tests positive for COVID-19

A member of the Indian women’s team tested positive for COVID-19; as a result, the contest between India and South Korea has been cancelled.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: There is no official word yet on India's schedule in the tournament.

A member of the Indian women’s hockey team participating in the Asian Champions Trophy here has tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, the contest between India and South Korea was cancelled on Wednesday.

After a Hockey India source confirmed to PTI that one player had tested positive, the Asian Hockey Federation, too, issued a statement about the development on Twitter .

“The Asian Hockey Federation regrets to inform that a positive COVID test result has been received from yesterday’s routine testing for a member of Team India. Today’s match at 15:00 between [South] Korea and India is therefore not taking place. Further information will be provided soon,” the AHF wrote.

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There is no official word at this point on India’s remaining schedule in the tournament. India is due to take on China on Thursday in its next match. The pandemic had cast its shadow on the tournament on Monday itself when India’s second match against Malaysia was cancelled due to COVID-related issues.

 

Malaysia was forced to be absent from at least the first two days of the competition after one of its players, Nurul Faezah Shafiqah Khalim, tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in South Korea. According to sources, just like Malaysia, the Indian contingent is likely to undergo quarantine after the positive result.

Last week, the Indian team defeated Thailand 13-0 in its opening match.