Gopichand's academy closed after shuttler Sikky Reddy & Kiran C test COVID positive

Indian women badminton player N Sikki Reddy and physiotherapist Kiran C, who arrived at the national badminton camp on Thursday, have tested COVID positive. They had reported at the Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad and this came to light after they took SAI's mandatory COVID test given to all players, coaches and support staff on arrival.

"SAI's mandatory COVID test was given to all athletes, coaches, support staff and administrative staff at the badminton national camp, and two campers have tested positive for COVID-19. All necessary precautions as per protocol are being taken so that players can come back for training safely and as soon as possible," chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand said.

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Both Sikki and Kiran, who are from Hyderabad are asymptomatic and have been attending the camps from their homes. 
Meanwhile, the academy has been closed down for sanitisation and all primary contacts of Sikki and Kiran have been traced and are being given the RT PCR test again. Earlier today, it was decided that national archery camp will be held in Pune from Aug 25 notwithstanding the high COVID-19 cases and mortality rate in the city. 

The camp for Olympic-bound athletes will commence at the Army Sports Institute in the city. The decision was taken and announced by Sports Authority of India on Thursday. The team of 16 recurve archers, 8 men and 8 women, along with 4 coaches and 2 support staff will report to ASI Pune on August 25 and undergo the 14 days mandatory quarantine inside the ASI campus. 

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The athletes, coaches and support staff will be given the COVID test, which has been made mandatory by SAI for all athletes arriving at National Camps in SAI facilities across the country. Archers who will be joining the camp include, Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das, B Dhiraj, Pravin Jadhav, Jayanta Talukdar, Sukhmanu Babrekar, Kapil, Vishwas, Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat, L Bombayla Devi, Ridhi, Madhu Vedwan, Himani, Pramila Baria and Tisha Sancheti. Several of them are Olympic quota holders.    

The guidelines of the Health Ministry, as well as the SOP released by SAI, along with guidelines of the state government, will be implemented on campus, while training is on.