ISSF World Cup: Two more Indian shooters test positive for COVID-19 as cases rise to six

New Delhi: Two more Indian shooters have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the number of athletes contracting the highly contagious virus to six in the ongoing ISSF World Cup in the national capital. As per the guidelines, the shooters have been sent into isolation. These two, whose test reports came late on Saturday night, are in addition to the two Indian athletes who have returned positive for the virus at the start of the second competition day of the tournament. “Two more Indian shooters have tested positive for the virus and it was known after their reports were received at night,” a National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) source said. On Saturday morning three shooters, including two from the Indian pistol men’s team, tested positive for COVID-19. The shooters were self-isolating in their team hotel before being shifted to a hospital. Those who were sharing the rooms with the three shooters as well as their other teammates have also been isolated after undergoing COVID tests. “The shooters have been sent into isolation as per protocols. Testing is being done on a daily basis and that’s why their results have come to light,” a source close to the federation told PTI. “Everything is being done as per the protocols laid down by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) and in consultation with its technical director,” another NRAI source said. In all, six shooters have already been afflicted by the dreaded virus since the teams started arriving for the tournament, which started at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range on Friday. Countries have been allowed to field their MQS (Minimum Qualification Score) shooters in place of the ones ruled out from the main teams owing to contracting the virus. On Thursday, in the first such case here, a top international shooter returned positive for COVID-19, following which he was sent to a hospital. A total of 294 shooters from as many as 53 countries, including Korea, Singapore, USA, United Kingdom, Iran, Ukraine, France, Hungary, Italy, Thailand and Turkey, are participating in the tournament. As per the ISSF guidelines, no spectator is allowed inside the range for the tournament that carries ranking points aiding in Tokyo Olympic qualifications.