Saina Nehwal (L) and Kidambi Srikanth (Photo Credit: Reuters)
Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal Olympic dream got here to an finish as Badminton’s Olympic rankings had been frozen with the sport’s governing physique saying no additional qualifying tournaments will happen earlier than the Tokyo Games this yr.
- PTI NEW DELHI
- Last Updated:May 28, 2021, 14:56 IST
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Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal‘s slim hopes of qualifying for Tokyo Games ended after the game’s governing physique (BWF) on Friday made it clear there won’t be any change in the present rating record and no additional event will likely be held contained in the qualification interval. Former world no 1 Srikanth and London Games bronze-medallist Saina’s hopes had been all however dashed when the final of the Olympic qualifiers in Singapore was cancelled as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
The duo had held on a slim hope when the governing physique mentioned it “will challenge an additional assertion on Tokyo Olympics qualifying at a later date”. “The Badminton World Federation (BWF) can confirm no further tournaments will be played inside the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualifying window,” the apex physique mentioned in a press release on Friday.
“As such, whereas the qualification interval formally closes 15 June 2021 as per the Revised Tokyo 2020 Qualification System, the present Race To Tokyo rankings record won’t change.” Owing to the health crisis, the world body had earlier revised the qualification period, extending it by nearly two months to June 15 after postponement of three important events. However, with no respite from the pandemic, BWF was forced to cancel or postpone the last three qualifiers — India Open, Malaysia Open and Singapore Open, leaving players, including Srikanth and Saina, with no chance to earn a qualification.
“The Olympic qualification process is in effect closed as there are no additional opportunities for players to earn points,” BWF secretary common Thomas Lund mentioned. “However, we nonetheless have to obtain confirmations from National Olympic Committees and Member Associations, adopted by any attainable reallocations, and this may take plenty of weeks to finish.” According to the qualification rules, the top 16 players – a maximum of two players each in men’s and women’s singles from a country – as on June 15 will gain direct entries. The BWF said “invitations will be sent shortly with final participation lists and seedings to be published at the conclusion of this process.” Indian shuttlers who’ve already made the minimize for the Olympics embody PV Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and the lads’s doubles pairing of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
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