I was surprised to test positive for Covid-19, hit by social media abuse: N Sikki Reddy

Indian shuttler N Sikki Reddy on Saturday heaved a sigh of reduction after returning destructive for Covid-19 barely two days after testing constructive for the contagious illness, saying she was “shocked” by the not-so-kind reactions her preliminary outcome attracted.

Commonwealth video games bronze-medallist Sikki and physiotherapist Kiran Challagundla had, on Thursday, examined constructive for the virus in SAI’s necessary Covid exams on the SAI Pullela Gopichand academy, which was instantly closed down for sanitisation and the camp suspended for a couple of days.

Nevertheless, the duo returned destructive on Saturday after they determined to get themselves examined once more in a non-public hospital on Friday.

Sikki mentioned it was a tough 48 hours for her and household as she additionally needed to take care of verbal abuse from followers on Social Media however she managed to maintain her cool.

“I have not been speaking to anybody. In social media folks had been saying that I ought to have stayed residence and for me all can be getting the virus. I used to be shocked,” the 26-year-old advised PTI.

“I did not know learn how to react, I imply, I had gone to the academy to coach, I did not go to a restaurant to dine. However I stayed calm as a result of I used to be ready for the outcomes.” Sikki and Kiran had been among the many 21 gamers, coaches and help workers who had undergone the necessary Covid exams earlier than the beginning of coaching on August 7. The opposite 19 had examined destructive.

“It was little irritating as a result of I did not present any signs,” mentioned Sikki, who had gained the Commonwealth video games bronze medal in 2018 alongside together with her ladies’s doubles accomplice Ashwini Ponnappa.

“I do know it may be asymptomatic, too, however how might have I performed for 3 hours if I had the illness. Additionally none of my members of the family confirmed any signs. My mother is a diabetic affected person. So it was shocking.

“Everybody at residence was involved and we had been fairly assured that I haven’t got the virus. So I bought the second check finished with the assistance of SAI and BAI on Friday and it’s such an enormous reduction to get the destructive report,” she added.

Following the most recent check outcomes, nationwide chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand has determined to renew coaching from Monday.

The badminton camp was allowed by SAI for eight Olympic hopefuls, together with Rio Video games silver-medallist PV Sindhu, following the approval from the Telangana authorities on August 1.

Sikki, who companions Ashwini in ladies’s doubles, Sindhu, B Sai Praneeth and former world primary Kidambi Srikanth had been coaching on the academy earlier than the suspension of the camp.

Amongst others, former world primary Saina Nehwal has been coaching in a separate facility alongside together with her husband Parupalli Kashyap, whereas Ashwini is at present in Bangalore. The boys’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy is anticipated to affix the camp after a pair weeks.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) had shut down the World Tour and different sanctioned tournaments following the completion of the All-England in March because of the world well being disaster. The governing physique later unveiled a revised worldwide calendar in Might however no match has been attainable up to now.

The subsequent occasion for the Indian crew is the twice rescheduled Thomas and Uber Cup, which is slated from October three to 11.