- Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth embraced the decision to postpone the Olympics in Tokyo
- I call on the organizers of the Olympics and the BWF to wait for the next possible dates to be announced immediately. Until going forward with the timetable, there needs to be a regular, thorough analysis of the situation
- He set a remarkable record for winning four Super Series titles in 2017 before a memorable 2018 season
Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth embraced the decision to postpone the Olympics in Tokyo, but he requested the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to wait before announcing a new date in 2021.
Srikanth believes that the date for the Games will only be decided after the BWF has rescheduled the tournaments cancelled due to theCovid-19 pandemic.
“It’s a smart decision because, despite the crucial scenario around the world, hosting the Games is virtually impossible,” said Srikanth in an interview.
“But again, I personally feel that the BWF should have a serious rethink, once the situation improves and deemed fit for any sporting activity, about starting the tournaments which were cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus threat,” he said.
“I call on the organisers of the Olympics and the BWF to wait for the next possible dates to be announced immediately. Until going forward with the timetable, there needs to be regular, thorough analysis of the situation” he felt.
Reflecting on the preparations, Srikanth has acknowledged that in the run-up to the next Games schedule, it will be a complicated process.
“You have been changing your strength and fitness plans according to the initial schedule for the last 12 months. You need to reset the target now and prepare accordingly. It’s a big undertaking and a special kind of challenge for any competitor, “said the shuttler, who set a remarkable record for winning four Super Series titles in 2017 before a memorable 2018 season.
“Right now, I am in Guntur with my family members and friends. But, definitely doing those minimum exercises to stay fit and appeal to all the citizens to adhere to the guidelines of the Government and stay indoors till the situation improves,” said Kidambi.
I took up the @WHO #SafeHandsChallenge as nominated by @sudarsansand. I urge everyone to frequently wash their hands to keep #Covid_19 away. Now I nominate @PankajAdvani247 @sathiyantt & @nikhat_zareen to take up this #SafeHandsChallenge pic.twitter.com/RLqxWUIXMv
— Kidambi Srikanth (@srikidambi) March 19, 2020
Shrikant and many other athletes have faced a tough time recently due to the pandemic, which has caused sports events all over the globe to postpone for the time being.
