India’s star wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday said she has tested positive for Covid-19, reported PTI.
One of the recipients of this year’s Khel Ratna award, Phogat had been training at her village in Sonepat with coach Om Prakash.
“Yes, I have tested positive for COVID-19 when my sample was taken in Sonepat before the dress rehearsal for the awards ceremony,” the Asiad and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist told PTI.
“I will recover soon, god willing. I am in isolation at home. I have not shown any symptoms till now,” she added.
The 26-year-old will skip Saturday’s virtual ceremony for the National Sports Awards distribution. She is one among five athletes chosen for the country’s highest sporting honour this year. The others are cricketer Rohit Sharma, Rio Paralympics gold medallist Thangavelu Mariyappan, India hockey captain Rani Rampal and table tennis player Manika Batra.
A few days earlier, Phogat, who is the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for Tokyo Olympics, had said she will pull out of the national camp scheduled in Lucknow, citing health safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Phogat won gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games besides a bronze at the 2019 World Championships which helped her seal a spot for Tokyo Olympics.
Phogat was one of the first wrestlers to raise concerns about health safety when the Wrestling Federation of India planned to resume the national camp in Lucknow.
With her personal coach Woller Akos communicating the training plans every week, she had been trying to implement them by training with Om Prakash. She had asked for exemption from the camp and after that Divya Kakran and Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik had also expressed apprehensions.
Eventually, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the WFI decided to postpone the camp again.
The men’s camp is scheduled to start at SAI Centre in Sonepat from September 1. Country’s top wrestlers in six Olympic weight categories, including Bajrang Punia, are participating in the camp.
The multiple World Championship medallist said some risks are ought to be taken provided India wants to prepare well for the Tokyo Olympics.
“Many major wrestling nations have begun the camps, be it Russia, USA or Georgia. We have to do something and take some risk. The World Championship in December is not important but Olympics is,” Bajrang told PTI.
“So many are yet to qualify for Olympics. Camp is important for us. We have been told that 48 staffers at SAI centre have tested and they all have returned negative.
“We all will be tested and put in quarantine till test reports come. We will have to follow the rules. Outside it’s more risky and inside the sports complex it is safer. The government and WFI is doing it (camp) for us. We just have to be disciplined,” he said.
He also wished Phogat a quick recovery.
“Anyone can get infected. I pray for Vinesh that she recovers quick. She a big hope for us at Olympics. I also congratulate her for Khel Ratna, she deserves the award,” he added.
(With PTI inputs)
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!