PV Sindhu, who returned to India on Monday night, won’t be able to make it to the All England Open Badminton Championships. The two-time Olympic medallist endured a harrowing experience in Dubai on her way to the UK for the premier tournament. Sindhu was caught in the middle of the escalating tensions between the US/Israel, and Iran. After being targeted by Israel and the US, Iran launched retaliatory missiles in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), targeting Dubai and Abu Dhabi. After spending almost three days in Dubai at a transit hotel, Sindhu finally returned to India with help from the Indian government and embassy.
On Tuesday, Sindhu addressed a media conference, where she narrated the entire ordeal, saying she had been trying to reach the UK at all times to participate in the tournament, but the decision to miss it was taken on Monday, before returning to India.
Sindhu and her team, including Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, also had a narrow escape after an explosion near their accommodation. They were then moved to a secure location as tensions flared across the Gulf region.
“Actually, we were thinking of going to Hyderabad, Bengaluru, or India. From India, we will try another way. I know it was going to be a very far way. But we actually tried even that. But that was also not possible. When I got a call yesterday evening from the Emirates saying that there are flights to India. I even asked them if there are any flights to London or any other place in Europe. But they said there are none,” Sindhu told reporters in a media conference organised by the Sports Authority of India.
“Like, no flights. And I have tried from Oman as well. But it was not. But yesterday I was like, “I think I can’t do anything now. And even I tried from Hyderabad, and everything was full. It’s almost like a 24-hour journey. When I have to go to 2-3 different places, that’s how I go. And by the time I reach, I think maybe it will be Thursday. And you know, by then the tournament starts. You can’t do anything, right? So, I mean, yeah, it is a bit sad that I couldn’t. But again, you know, it’s important to be safe,” she added.
‘No punishment’
Sindhu, who was slated to face off against Thailand’s Supanida Katethong in the opening round, said that she has already written to the Badminton World Federation (BWF) about the unfortunate circumstances leading up to her pullout, and hence doesn’t expect to be punished by the world body.
“I have actually mailed the BWF. I have told them my situation. Because from day one, I have been updating them that this is my situation. I am trying my best to see what is the possible way that I can get out or come there. But the BWF also said, like, “We understand the situation, and we are looking into it.” Initially, they wanted to get as much information as they could because some of the players from Japan also were stuck,” said Sindhu.
“But then they somehow could find another way, and they could actually come. So, I think I am the only one from Dubai, from the UAE side, who couldn’t go anywhere or come back. So, they said they will definitely take it into consideration, and, penalty-wise, they will be able to opt out because they understand the situation, which is fair enough. So, regarding the tournament, I told them, and they said they would get back to me. What is the way, or how do we go with it? So, that way they said they will come back to me. But they understood the situation, which is really good, and it is a genuine situation where I am stuck. So, yeah. I mean, it’s sad I couldn’t play,” she added.
The 30-year-old concluded that she expects to hear back from BWF by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. She also assured that she is targeting a comeback in the Swiss Open.
“Today I will definitely hear from them. They were quite good, especially when I emailed them; they understood my situation and actually got back to me quickly. So which is which is good and very kind of them. So definitely I think they will want to understand precisely what they want from me and what I am trying to say. So yeah, I guess I’ll hear from them in a day. It should be,” said Sindhu.
