Indonesian badminton team withdraws from the World Championships – Reports
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Badminton Association of Indonesia
In a shocking turn of events, reports have surfaced suggesting that the Indonesian badminton team has withdrawn from the upcoming World Champions which start on Sunday in Huelva, Spain. Reports suggest that the decision could be over the rise in cases of the Omicron variant.
On the other hand, the New Straits Times reports that a source in Jakarta suggested that the move could also be budget-related. The decision has been made following the conclusion of the Indonesian leg of the World Tour on Sunday in Bali, which included the finals. If the reports are true, it will be a huge blow for the marquee event.
A lacklustre World Championships awaits sans the Indonesian badminton team
The Indonesian badminton team features some of the best in the business going around, especially in the doubles section. From Olympic women’s doubles champions and Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu to world No 1 men’s doubles, Marcus Fernaldi Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and the list goes on.
If the Indonesian badminton team does withdraw from the World Championships, it won’t be the first time the star-studded team has stepped down from a big event. Last year, the Badminton Association of Indonesia shook the fraternity when it decided to withdraw from the Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Aarhus, Denmark due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, the tournament was postponed and Indonesia went on to win their first Thomas Cup title in 19 years. Earlier this year, the Indonesian badminton team had to miss the All England Open after a passenger in their flight tested positive. The team was forced to quarantine and it turned to be a serious matter as the Indonesians alleged that they were being discriminated against.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)