Gopichand Academy Closed After Sikki Reddy & Physio Test COVID Positive

Hyderabad: The Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy here was closed for sanitization after women’s badminton doubles specialist N Sikki Reddy and physio Kiran C tested positive for COVID-19 at the national camp.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) said in a statement on Thursday that Sikki and Kiran are asymptomatic. Both are from Hyderabad and had been commuting from home.

All primary contacts of Sikki and Kiran are being made to take the RT-PCR test.

The players, coaches and support staff had undergone COVID-19 test before the start of training on August 7 at the academy.

“SAI’s mandatory COVID test was conducted on all athletes, coaches, support staff and administrative staff at the badminton national camp, and two campers have tested positive for COVID-19,” chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand said.

“All necessary precautions as per protocol are being taken so that players can come back for training safely and as soon as possible.”

SAI allowed the badminton camp for eight Olympic hopefuls, including Rio Games silver-medallist and world champion P V Sindhu, after taking the Telangana government’s approval.