India-Chinese Taipei Asian Cup match called off after 12 home team players test COVID positive
The Hindu
The Group A match not taking place means the hosts' chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals of the 12-nation premier continental showpiece are bleak
India's AFC Women's Asian Cup group A match against Chinese Taipei was on Sunday called off minutes before kickoff after as many as 12 players from the home team tested positive for COVID-19 and two were laid low by injuries.
A top source of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) confirmed the development to PTI following which the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also issued a statement.
"Following several positive cases of COVID-19, India failed to name the required minimum of 13 players for the Group A match against Chinese Taipei," the AFC stated.
Unlike most of the Olympic-bound athletes, who opt to train abroad before the big event, boxer Amit Panghal prefers training in home conditions prior to Paris 2024. A former World championships silver medallist and a World No. 1, Panghal won the 51kg quota place in the only chance he got. He wants to follow his own plans to script success in Paris.
The other men’s semifinal Friday is Norway’s Casper Ruud, twice the runner-up in Paris — to Rafael Nadal in 2022 and to Novak Djokovic in 2023 — against Germany’s Alexander Zverev, a finalist at the 2020 U.S. Open, an Olympic gold medalist and into the final four at Roland Garros for the fourth consecutive year.