Covid-19 crisis hits women's national boxing camp as 21, including staff, test positive
The Tokyo-bound boxers have been quarantined under SAI protocol after testing negative
The national boxing camp at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi has been hit hard by Covid-19 as India tackles another surge in cases.
At least 21 people, including Indian women boxing's high performance director Raffaele Bergamasco and head coach Mohammed Ali Qamar have tested positive for COVID-19. The Sports Authority of India (SAI), however, didn't disclose the names of the affected boxers.
“Precautionary COVID tests were conducted at the National Coaching Camp for Elite Women Boxers at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi and 21 campers, including players and coaching staff, have tested positive. None of them, however, are Olympic-bound boxers,” SAI said in an official statement..
“The Olympics-bound boxers and other campers who tested negative have been shifted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,” the statement added.
Mary Kom (51kg), Pooja Rani (75 kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69 kg) and Simranjit Kaur (60kg) are the four Indian female boxers who have qualified for Tokyo 2020.
Ten people from the men's contingent had tested positive in March at their training base in Patiala.
As a precautionary measure, SAI is conducting weekly tests for athletes, support staffs and administrators, beside setting up strict quarantine norms. The Indian Olympic Association is working on facilitating the vaccine for Tokyo-bound athletes on a priority basis.