As concerns regarding coronavirus are growing by the minute, shuttler Parupalli Kashyap on Friday voiced his concerns, saying that the Badminton World Federation (BWF) has not done enough and it is clearly showing how the sport still remains amateur.
Kashyap and former shuttler Jwala Gutta were involved in an exchange on Twitter.
Gutta said that badminton is an Olympic sport, and the BWF will take care of the matter. She also drew attention to how no one apart from Kashyap has voiced concern regarding the safety of players.
When former shuttler Gutta said why is no one apart from Kashyap is protesting, Kashyap replied: "Everyone wants to fight, we as athletes always want to fight till the end. The tournament is on so players will go but if one person gets infected then it'll become a mess. Back home we are putting our parents at risk".
In the wake of Health Ministry's new advisory related to COVID-19, Indian badminton stars such as Parupalli Kashyap, Saina Nehwal have been put under dark and are left searching for answers.
Both Nehwal and Kashyap have been knocked out from the ongoing All England Championships. But their return to India now hangs in the balance.
The Health Ministry on Wednesday issued a new advisory related to COVID-19, saying "All incoming travelers, including Indians, arriving from or having visited China, Italy, Iran, Republic of Korea, France, Spain & Germany after 15th February 2020 shall be quarantined for a minimum period of 14 days".
These badminton stars took part in the Barcelona Open in February this year, and now their return to India has come under a cloud.
If the health ministry's advisory is put in place, Nehwal and Kashyap will be quarantined for two weeks and this will result in a severe blow to their Olympics hopes.
World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday had declared the coronavirus outbreak a 'pandemic' and expressed deep concern.
The coronavirus disease was first detected in Wuhan in China's Hubei province, in late December, and has since spread worldwide.
More than 127,000 people have been infected with COVID-19, with over 4,700 having died and 68,000 recovered.
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