South Korea and Indonesia have withdrawn from next month’s Thomas and Uber Cup Finals in Denmark, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) said in a statement on Saturday. The two countries join Australia, Taiwan and Thailand in skipping the October 3-11 tournament amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“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.”
The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) said it was concerned that players could contract COVID-19 during the tournament. The PBSI also confirmed that its players would not participate in the Denmark Open and Denmark Masters scheduled for in October.
Indonesia have won the men’s Thomas Cup a record 13 times and women’s Uber Cup thrice. Thailand announced their withdrawal earlier this week, citing injuries and other Covid-19 related issues. Replacements for the teams have yet to be announced.
The Thomas and Uber Cup, originally scheduled for May, had been postponed to August due to the pandemic before being moved to the new dates when the Danish government extended its ban on large gatherings.