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Four members of the Indian fencing squad, including three fencers, tested positive for COVID-19 during the four-day long Tbilisi World Cup that concluded Monday in Georgia.
The Fencing Association of India (FAI) fielded an eight-member team to compete in Georgia. While all four members of the national team are in isolation for a week in Tbilisi, other members of the squad will reach India on Wednesday.
The national fencing squad was supposed to compete in as many as four World Cups in Europe from January to March. But the pandemic has disrupted the international exposure tour, an official of the Fencing Association of India (FAI) said.
“Since three main fencers of the national team are unwell due to contagious virus, as of now it looks uncertain whether the national team will be able to compete in upcoming international exposure tours or not,” the FAI official said.
India’s Alka Vallattuparambil pulled out of the women’s individual sabre event as she tested positive for COVID-19 in pre-event test of the Tbilisi World Cup held between January 14 and 17.
Then, Josna Christy Jose suffered a bout of fever and tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team competition. After two Indian female fencers were unwell, India pulled out of the women’s sabre team event.
According to an Indian team official, fencer Karan Singh and the team manager have also contracted the contagious virus and are in isolation for a week in Georgia.
“All three Indian fencers and the team official who were tested positive have been isolated and will return to India next week,” the FAI official said.
“Due to increased COVID-19 cases across the world, participation of the Indian team in international events of fencing is on hold until further notice,” FAI said in a statement.
India’s Olympic sabre fencer Bhavani Devi also competed at the Tbilisi World Cup, but lost in the preliminary round. Bhavani’s current training base is in Orleans, France.
