Khel Ratna Awardee Vinesh Phogat Tests Covid-19 Positive, To Miss National Sports Awards Virtual Ceremony Tomorrow

In the view of Coronavirus pandemic, President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the virtual ceremony to confer the athletes with the prestigious honor via a National Informatics Centre (NIC) link from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Vinesh Phogat

Asian Games gold medal-winning woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat has tested positive for coronavirus. The woman wrestler tests positive for the dreaded virus just one day before receiving the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award  by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday morning.

Phogat was tested by the Indian government as per the protocol as she was to receive Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country's top sports accolade, on Saturday. The woman wrestler is among the 14 sportspersons who will be absent at a virtual presentation of the annual National Sports Awards.

"My test was done on Thursday and it has come positive. I am at home right. Now, my family members will also get tested tomorrow. I still didn't feel any symptoms. I am absolutely fine," Vinesh told a news agency.

The Sports Ministry had initially stated that nine awardees won't be attending the ceremony. But late on Friday, the final list was released by the ministry informed that the number has gone up to 14.

President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the virtual ceremony to confer the athletes with the prestigious honor via a National Informatics Centre (NIC) link from Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony will take place at 11 AM and will be telecast live on Doordarshan.

"Yeah, we will miss the ceremony. Getting an award personally is something different. You can take your family along, click some photos at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Virtual is not such fun," said an athlete, who will receive the Arjuna Award.

"Personally, I am not liking it. I will get the award but that newspaper front page photos with the President, I will miss it," joked one athlete.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna winner Manika Batra said: "I feel bad about the covid situation and the threat it brings to life all over. Meeting the Hon'ble President is surely someone we athletes dream about meeting," she said.