Following an official announcement from the BWF, it was confirmed on Wednesday that the Indian badminton team has passed its COVID-19 screenings and is now ready to prep for the Yonex Thailand Open starting next week.
After touching down in Bangkok, the Indian contingent—including the players and all 'Green Zone' personnel like officials, medical staff, BWF and BAT employees, and the broadcasting team—were all required to take tests.
The current series of events in Bangkok includes two prestigious Super 1000 tournaments, the Yonex and Toyota Thailand Opens, followed by the $1.5 million HSBC BWF World Tour Finals.
The Indian squad, featuring key players like B Sai Praneeth, PV Sindhu, and Saina Nehwal, has already started their first exercise sessions under a set training schedule. The BAI has noted via Twitter that full training will be back in swing starting Thursday.
Once official practice sessions begin, athletes can have physiotherapists visit them in their rooms, as long as they schedule these appointments ahead of time to follow the established safety rules.
This comes after Saina Nehwal expressed her frustration on Tuesday, accusing the governing body of blocking her physio access despite the rules. In response, officials stated that the BWF and BAT had received a formal request for Saina's physio visit through the BAI.
The BAI clarified that the Badminton Association of Thailand had briefed both the organization and Saina Nehwal on the specific protocols outlined in the prospectus, explaining the exact procedure for arranging physio visits.
The BAT emphasized that the regulations are explicit: all athletes and staff staying in the Bangkok 'Green Bubble' must remain in their assigned rooms until practice officially starts on January 6th.
Guidelines regarding physiotherapy access were shared with all member associations and athletes well before the tournament began.
The organizers also noted that strict quarantine measures remain in effect for the mandatory 14-day period, which overlaps with the Yonex Thailand Open. To ensure safety, regular COVID-19 testing will continue under tight supervision until the Asian leg concludes.
These events in Asia will wrap up the 2020 season, which had been largely suspended since the All-England Championship in March due to the global pandemic.