Kento Momota checks optimistic for COVID-19, Japan pulls out of Thailand occasions

World primary Kento Momota’s long-awaited return to the worldwide circuit obtained delayed after the Japanese examined optimistic for COVID-19, prompting his nationwide staff to drag out of upcoming occasions in Thailand, Badminton World Federation (BWF) stated on Sunday.
Momota was wanting ahead to make his worldwide comeback in Bangkok, a yr after sustaining a career-threatening harm to his eye socket following a automotive accident on the way in which to Kuala Lumpur airport simply hours after profitable the Malaysia Masters final January.
“Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) can confirm that Japan’s men’s singles world No.1 Kento Momota has tested positive for COVID-19 after undergoing a mandatory PCR test at Narita Airport in Tokyo en route to Bangkok, Thailand earlier today,” BWF stated in a press release.
“Nippon Badminton Association (NBA) has subsequently withdrawn all its singles and doubles gamers from the YONEX Thailand Open (12-17 January 2021) and TOYOTA Thailand Open (19-24 January 2021).’
The 26-year-old, who gained the All-Japan championships final week in his first competitors since that accident, had gathered with the remainder of the nationwide squad on the National Training Centre at Kita, Tokyo on January 2.
“The entire Japanese team was due to fly out to Bangkok, Thailand for the badminton tournaments on the evening of January 3,” BWF stated.
The governing physique stated that it’ll “will invite replacement players and pairs for both tournaments from the list of reserves already scheduled to arrive into the ‘Asian Leg Bubble’ in Bangkok on or before 4 January and with a Certificate of Entry into Thailand.”
The Asia leg occasions will lose numerous sheen with nationwide groups from Japan and China each withdrawing from the tournaments, the primary in Asia because the COVID-19 shutdown final March.
China had pulled out resulting from restrictions imposed in view of the pandemic.