COVID hits women’s ACT: Indian hockey player tests positive, Korea game canceled | Hockey News

DONGHAE (South Korea): A member of the Indian women’s hockey team competing in the Asian Champions Trophy here has tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in the cancellation of her next two games against defending champions Korea and China respectively.
While India was due to face Korea on Wednesday, it was due to meet China on Thursday.
After a source from Hockey India confirmed to PTI that a player tested positive, the Asian Hockey Federation also released a statement about the development on their Twitter account without giving details of the affected player.
“The Asian Hockey Federation regrets to inform that a positive Covid test result was received from routine tests yesterday for a member of the Indian team.
“Today’s match at 3:00 p.m. between Korea and India is therefore not taking place. More information will be provided shortly,” tweeted AHF.

The team were due to face China in their next game on Thursday, but it was also called off with players’ health and safety in mind.
“With the health and safety of the players being paramount, the Indian women’s hockey team’s game against China on December 9 will not take place,” Hockey India tweeted later today.

The pandemic had cast a shadow over the tournament itself on Monday when India’s second game against Malaysia was called off due to COVID-related concerns.
Malaysia was forced to be absent for at least the first two days of competition after one of its players, Nurul Faezah Shafiqah Khalim, tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in South Korea.
According to sources, just like Malaysia, the Indian contingent should be quarantined after the positive result.
Finalist of the last edition, India had already beaten a modest Thailand 13-0 with the drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur scoring five goals.
India is the highest ranked participating team as it occupies ninth place in the women’s ranking of the International Hockey Federation.
The Asian Women’s Champions Trophy was originally scheduled for 2020 but has been postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.