BWF to ensure comfortable Covid testing after player left with nosebleed

Badminton's governing body (BWF) said on Wednesday it will work with Thai health authorities to ensure "comfortable" Covid-19 testing conditions at the Thailand Open after Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth was left with a bloody nose following a test.

The world number 14 had described tests conducted at the event as "unacceptable" in a tweet that was accompanied by an image of blood dripping down his face following a fourth mandatory test on Tuesday.

We take care of ourselves for the match not to come and shed blood for THIS . However , I gave 4 tests after I have arrived and I can’t say any of them have been pleasant .
Unacceptable pic.twitter.com/ir56ji8Yjw

— Kidambi Srikanth (@srikidambi) January 12, 2021

The BWF said Badminton Association of Thailand (BAT) had explained that Srikanth's issue arose due to his most recent test "possibly causing irritation and fragility of the capillaries".

"When the swab was repeated on Tuesday, and factoring in the athlete's tense nature, the position of the stick in the nasal passage was misaligned, which caused the slight bleeding noticed from the tip of the swab," BAT said in statement issued by BWF.

"The Covid-19 staff member didn't notice bleeding from the athlete's nose and there was no complaint from Kidambi... It's not known whether he had blown his nose or stuck tissue up his nostrils which could have caused more blood vessels to rupture."