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Indonesia withdraws from 2020 Thomas and Uber Cup over COVID-19 concerns
The country joins Australia, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea in backing out of the competition.
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Indonesian M. Rian Ardianto (left) hits the shuttle while his partner Fajar Alfian (right) looks on during a match against Thailand in the group stage of the 2018 Thomas and Uber Cup championships in Bangkok on May 22, 2018. (PBSI/PBSI)
T
he Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) has withdrawn its players from this year’s Thomas and Uber Cup championships due to concerns over their safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement issued on Friday, the association said participating in the biennial event, set for Oct. 3 to 11 in Aarhus, Denmark, might expose athletes and team officials to infection while traveling or even at the venue.
Athletes and officials also voiced their concerns over the lack of guarantees from the Badminton World Federation (BWF) on who would take responsibility for the team members if one of them catches the disease.
“We have sent a letter to the Youth and Sports Ministry to relay a statement to the BWF on the matter. The decision was made following a discussion with athletes and team officials,” said PBSI secretary-general Achmad Budiharto.
Read also: Sport leagues grapple with COVID-19 impact
Indonesia joins Australia, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea in backing out of the competition due to the novel coronavirus concerns.
The pandemic had already forced organizers to postpone this year’s Thomas and Uber Cup twice. The championships were initially scheduled for May 16-24 and were then postponed to Aug. 15-23. The BWF eventually decided to hold the competition in October.
Apart from the Thomas and Uber Cup, Indonesian badminton athletes will not participate in the 2020 Denmark Open I on Oct. 13-18 as well as the Denmark Open II on Oct. 20-25 in Odense.
