India’s top woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat tests coronavirus COVID-19 positive
India’s top woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Friday said she has tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19 but is asymptomatic. Selected for this year’s Khel Ratna award, the Asian and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist had been training at her village in Sonepat with coach Om Prakash.
Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Phogat confirmed the news adding that she has isolated herself. She has requested everyone who has come in contact with her recently to get tested.
She tweeted, “I have tested positive for COVID-19 in a test taken yesterday. I am currently showing no symptoms but have isolated myself. All my family members are also isolating. I would request everyone who has come in contact with me recently to get tested. Stay safe everyone! Thank you”
I have tested positive for COVID-19 in a test taken yesterday. I am currently showing no symptoms but have isolated myself. All my family members are also isolating. I would request everyone who has come in contact with me recently to get tested. Stay safe everyone! Thank you
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 28, 2020
The 26-year-old, who is the only Indian woman wrestler to have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, will skip the virtual ceremony on August 29 (Saturday) for the National Sports Awards distribution. She is one among five athletes chosen for the country’s highest sporting honour in 2020.
Vinesh was one of the first wrestlers to raise concerns about health safety when the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) planned to resume the national camp in Lucknow from September 1. With her personal coach Woller Akos communicating the training plans every week, she had been trying to implement them by training with Om Prakash, a very senior and trusted coach.
She had asked for an 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.
