The US will replace New Zealand for the Thomas Cup after the latter was forced to withdraw after several players contracted Covid-19.
The US will have to face Malaysia, England and heavily favoured Japan in Group D. This will only be the ninth time the US has made it to the Thomas Cup final stage.
The Thomas Cup and Uber Cup tournaments will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, between May 8 and May 15.
New Zealand withdrew because some of its members tested positive for Covid-19 during the recent Oceania Championships from April 28 to May 1 in Melbourne, Australia.
"During the tournament and in the subsequent days after the event, several players have tested positive. This has resulted in a severely depleted team, with the possibility of additional positive cases detected upon arrival in Thailand.
"The difficult decision to withdraw the team was made considering all factors and putting player welfare at the forefront of our thinking. We are focused on supporting the remaining New Zealand players in Australia and getting them home safely, as soon as possible," Badminton New Zealand said in a Facebook post today.
According to Reuters, the governing Badminton World Federation (BWF) said no other Oceania member association was able to take the continental quota place, while the countries next in line in the rankings also declined.
"Team USA confirmed their participation and will take their place in Group D alongside Japan, Malaysia and England," the BWF said in a statement. - Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.