Indonesia has pulled out of the prestigious Thomas and Uber Cups out of concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, badminton officials confirmed Saturday.
The Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) said its players were worried about contracting the virus at the tournaments, due to be held in Denmark next month.
“The handling of the outbreak both in Indonesia and other countries has yet to see any improvement,” PBSI secretary-general Achmad Budiharto said in a statement announcing the withdrawal.
“This situation makes players worried,” he added.
The twice-postponed Thomas and Uber Cups, the men’s and women’s world team championships, will be the first international tournaments since the pandemic brought badminton to a halt in March.
Indonesia is the fifth country to withdraw from the competition after Australia, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea.
The withdrawal means that Indonesia will also skip two open tournaments to be held in Denmark later next month, Budiharto said.
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