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Also check out: the Tokyo Olympics 2020 Schedule
In a series of tweets, Indian shuttler and former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Parupalli Kashyap addressed the serious issue of the affect that postponed BWF tournaments will have on the qualification process for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Due to the outbreak of Coronavirus or COVID-19, BWF has been forced to cancel two World Tour events that were to be part of the Olympic qualification process. This adversely affects the chances of players who were looking forward to using these events for collecting important qualification points. This includes Kashyap and his wife Saina Nehwal.
In a long statement on the micro-blogging site, Kashyap wrote:
“I wanted to address another topic regarding the situation with the Coronavirus and the Olympic qualification period and the number of tournaments which are doubtful to be held. We all had 7 events starting from Spain masters until the Singapore open and few have the Asian Championships too."
“Now that German open is cancelled and Swiss Open looking doubtful and Singapore and Malaysia Open also with the same worries, it’ll be completely unfair for so many athletes who are on the borderline of qualification at this moment."
“7 events are a lot of events considering the best 10 performances in a qualifying period are chosen. If at all the virus is contained and slowly everything comes back to normalcy in a few months and the Olympics takes place on same dates then BWF and IOC have to revise and extend the qualification dates and make sure they add on the events later or make it a fair qualification."
“I understand that everything has to be assumed at this moment but I hope all the athletes have a fair chance to qualify for the Olympics."
"Many players were injured in the last year when the qualification period started and now if they’re fit n hope to do well in the next events, what happens to their qualification chances if most the events are doubtful as of now.”
Kashyap also informed his fans about his health and fitness.
“A quick update on my current condition. So, post the back injury in the Spain masters, got an Intra Articular Injection to speed the recovery process and trying my best to participate in tournaments soon. Hoping for the best.”
Kashyap was last seen in action in the Spain Masters where he had to withdraw from a game. He had raised questions about the temperature control systems inside the stadium at the time. His wife and former Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal lost in the quarter-final stage of the event.
Also check out: the Tokyo Olympics 2020 medal tally
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