KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Defending champion Kento Momota has withdrawn from subsequent week’s badminton world championships with a again harm, whereas most Indonesian gamers have pulled out as a consequence of coronavirus issues, officers mentioned on Wednesday (Dec 8).
The world No. 2’s again downside had already pressured him to withdraw from the World Tour Finals in Indonesia final week, and the Japanese participant has returned residence.
His withdrawal from the world championships is an extra blow for Momota, who has had a turbulent two years since a career-threatening automobile crash in Malaysia.
He flopped on the Tokyo Olympic Video games in July, and was not too long ago overtaken as world No. 1 by Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen.
All Indonesian gamers who’re members of the nation’s nationwide affiliation have withdrawn from the championships over Covid-19 worries, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) governing physique mentioned.
Spain, the place the match takes place within the metropolis of Huelva from Dec 12 to 19, is struggling a surge in Covid-19 instances, like a lot of Europe.
The BWF mentioned in a press release that it was “disillusioned” with the Indonesian determination and “remorse that the withdrawal happened after the draw”.
Two Indonesian gamers who will not be affiliated with the nationwide affiliation will nonetheless compete within the blended doubles, their membership confirmed to AFP.
The BWF mentioned a “complete set of security protocols” is being applied for the match, which is able to happen inside a bio-secure bubble.
