New Delhi : India on Tuesday withdrew from next year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games hockey competition, citing COVID-19 concerns for travelers to the country and Britain’s discriminatory quarantine rules.
Hockey India President Gyanandro Ningombam apprised Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra about the federation’s decision.
Hockey India argued that only a 32-day window is available between the Birmingham Games (July 28-August 8) and the Hangzhou Asian Games (September 10-25) and it cannot afford to send its players to the UK which is a It has been one of the worst affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic.
“You will appreciate that the Asian Games is the continental qualification event for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and keeping in mind the priority of the Asian Games, Hockey India will not allow any member of the Indian teams to contract COVID-19 during the Commonwealth Games. Can’t take the risk,” wrote Ningombam.
The UK recently refused to recognize India’s COVID-19 vaccination certificates and imposed a 10-day hard quarantine on travelers arriving from the country, even if they have been fully vaccinated.
HI’s move comes a day after England pulled out of the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup to be held in Bhubaneswar next month, citing several COVID-related concerns and the Indian government’s mandatory 10-day quarantine for all UK The “note” of the protocol is taken. citizens.
India imposed a reciprocal ban on all British nationals entering the country following the UK sanctions.
Under India’s new norms, all British nationals arriving here from the UK, regardless of their vaccination status, must submit the result of an RT-PCR test done within 72 hours of travel.
They will also have to undergo two more RT-PCR tests, one on their arrival at the airport in India and another 8 days after arrival.
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