CHENNAI: There was a late twist to the boxers’ Europe trip on Thursday. The men’s and women’s teams were set to fly out for Italy for training and competition on Friday but in a late development, Lovlina Borgohain tested positive for coronavirus. She was part of the 28-member contingent that was supposed to leave in batches for Europe.
According to Sports Authority of India (SAI), the World Championship medallist tested positive four days after she returned from Assam. She had gone home to meet her ailing mother and was tested negative on arrival on October 11 in Patiala.
According to SAI protocol, she spent time in isolation. Though there were doubts over the trip, the positive test, according to BFI, should not stall the first batch’s departure. The situation will be assessed on Friday. The men’s team will leave first as only 15 seats were available on a flight to Paris. There is a possibility that a few women boxers could have come in contact with Lovlina and their departure will be delayed. If the delay is long for all, then the two teams may leave together.
Interestingly, Thursday’s efforts to get the boxers on flight had its share of drama too. The BFI got the passports with visas of the athletes in the morning from the Italian embassy and the boxers got their Covid-19 tests done, as Italian travel advisory mandates travellers from India to take a Covid-19 test within 72 hours of arrival. The pugilists were expected to assemble in Assisi, where they will be joined by pugilists from countries like Ireland.
“We will have a round of competition with some of the top boxers from these countries at Assisi,” said an official. The team is also expected to travel to France for a competition in the end of October. The rise in Covid-19 cases in Europe has been a concern for the BFI and the officials would not want to risk the health of the boxers.
However, boxers will skip an event in Poland because of Covid-related restrictions. The boxers, apparently, will be tested once they reach Assisi and then enter a bio-secure bubble. “Boxers from countries like Ireland too will be there for training and we will have a round of competitions with them in Italy itself,” the official pointed out.