Badminton World Federation (BWF) said
on Wednesday that it was working with the Thailand Open organisers so that a ‘comfortable’
COVID-19 testing conditions could be maintained during the tournament, after
Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth was left with a bloody nose after a COVID-19 test
on Tuesday, PTI reported.

After going for a total of four
COVID-19 tests since arriving at the event, former world number one Srikanth
put up pictures of his ordeal on Twitter, calling it ‘unacceptable’.

Also read: PV Sindhu knocked out of Thailand Open 2021, India’s women’s singles campaign ends

“Kidambi Srikanth got a bloodied
nose after undergoing multiple COVID-19 tests. The athlete had been swabbed
three times earlier with the most recent one possibly causing irritation and
fragility of the capillaries,” the WBF was quoted as saying in a statement,
adding that the Badminton Association of Thailand has reasoned it to be so.

The international body said that designated
COVID 19 staff “did not notice any bleeding from the athlete’s nose”, and that “after
about three to five minutes, another athlete from the India team reported that
Kidambi has a nosebleed”.

Also read: Saina Nehwal tests negative for COVID-19 hours after positive results, cleared for Thailand Open

WBF further informed that it is
working with the organisers to come up with the safest and most comfortable conditions
for the participants.

Srikanth will start off his run
against Sourabh Verma on Wednesday.