Hong Kong badminton players given Covid-19 warning by coach as World Championships in Spain draw near
- Hong Kong is sending a 12-player squad headed by mixed doubles duo Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet
- Powerhouse Indonesia pulls most top players out of tournament over health concerns
Hong Kong badminton team players have been warned to be on their guard when they are in Spain for the World Championships, with Indonesia pulling several big names out over Covid-19 fears.
The city has sent a strong squad of 12 players to compete in all five events against some of the games best, with Tang Chun-man and Tse Ying-suet, world No 7 in the mixed doubles, and Angus Ng Ka-long, the men’s singles world No 9, leading the charge.
But ahead of the tournament, which starts in Huelva in southwest Spain on Sunday, world powerhouses Indonesia pulled most of their top players out of the tournament, citing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
Reports in Spain said hospital admissions had jumped 32 per cent in a week, with 290 cases per 100,000. At least 11 infections of the Omicron variant have been confirmed in the country.
“The latest pandemic situation worries me a bit as some of my players have already been staying overseas for training and competitions for over two months,” Tim He Yiming, the head coach, said. “The World Championships is part of our plans before we end the season and hopefully everything will be fine.
“But we have already warned the players to take good care of their personal hygiene. They should wear mask whenever they are not playing, keep washing their hands regularly and minimum contact with other teams, stay in their hotel rooms after finishing their matches. A good personal hygiene is very important in these days, especially when you are travelling overseas.”
The other players in the Hong Kong squad are Lee Chuk-yiu, Cheung Ngan-yi, Yip Pui-yin, Ng Tsz-yau, Yuen Sin-ying, Ng Wing-yung, Yeung Nga-ting, Chang Tak-ching and Yeung Ming-nok.