<p>Thailand have withdrawn from badminton's Thomas and Uber Cups after former world champion Ratchanok Intanon and other players pulled out over coronavirus fears, an official and her coach said.</p>.<p>Taiwan -- the team of women's world number one Tai Tzu-ying -- and Australia are also skipping the tournaments, which will be played in a bio-secure 'bubble' in Denmark in October, the Badminton World Federation said.</p>.<p>The twice-postponed Thomas and Uber Cups, the men's and women's world team championships, will be the first international tournaments since the pandemic brought badminton to a halt in March.</p>.<p>Thailand had blamed its withdrawal on "special circumstances related to Covid-19 in addition to injuries to key players", the BWF said in a statement.</p>.<p>Badminton Association of Thailand president Patama Leeswadtrakul said separately that the decision was triggered by the withdrawal of several players.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-coronavirus-vaccine-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-west-bengal-bangalore-mumbai-new-delhi-chennai-kolkata-cases-deaths-recoveries-876781.html" target="_blank">For live updates on the coronavirus outbreak, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>"Despite Denmark's strict measures and procedures applied to players... it's understandable for some of the full-team players to withdraw because they are concerned about the pandemic," she said.</p>.<p>Ratchanok's coach Patpapol Ngensrisuk told AFP that the world number five was worried about catching coronavirus ahead of next year's postponed Tokyo Olympics.</p>.<p>"Ratchanok is very concerned about Covid-19 because she has already qualified for the Olympics. So if she contracts the virus, then she is worried about her future (at the Games)," Patpapol said.</p>.<p>"Her main goal right now is the Olympics."</p>.<p>However, India's PV Sindhu, one of the world's highest-earning female athletes, has reversed her decision to skip the Uber Cup.</p>.<p>Sindhu had previously pulled out citing a family function, but she has now changed her plans following a request from India's badminton association.</p>.<p>Two other tournaments will be held in Denmark after the Thomas and Uber Cups on October 3-11, followed by three in consecutive weeks from November 10 in Asia, at locations that are yet to be announced.</p>
<p>Thailand have withdrawn from badminton's Thomas and Uber Cups after former world champion Ratchanok Intanon and other players pulled out over coronavirus fears, an official and her coach said.</p>.<p>Taiwan -- the team of women's world number one Tai Tzu-ying -- and Australia are also skipping the tournaments, which will be played in a bio-secure 'bubble' in Denmark in October, the Badminton World Federation said.</p>.<p>The twice-postponed Thomas and Uber Cups, the men's and women's world team championships, will be the first international tournaments since the pandemic brought badminton to a halt in March.</p>.<p>Thailand had blamed its withdrawal on "special circumstances related to Covid-19 in addition to injuries to key players", the BWF said in a statement.</p>.<p>Badminton Association of Thailand president Patama Leeswadtrakul said separately that the decision was triggered by the withdrawal of several players.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-news-live-updates-india-world-coronavirus-vaccine-karnataka-maharashtra-tamil-nadu-delhi-kerala-gujarat-west-bengal-bangalore-mumbai-new-delhi-chennai-kolkata-cases-deaths-recoveries-876781.html" target="_blank">For live updates on the coronavirus outbreak, click here</a></strong></p>.<p>"Despite Denmark's strict measures and procedures applied to players... it's understandable for some of the full-team players to withdraw because they are concerned about the pandemic," she said.</p>.<p>Ratchanok's coach Patpapol Ngensrisuk told AFP that the world number five was worried about catching coronavirus ahead of next year's postponed Tokyo Olympics.</p>.<p>"Ratchanok is very concerned about Covid-19 because she has already qualified for the Olympics. So if she contracts the virus, then she is worried about her future (at the Games)," Patpapol said.</p>.<p>"Her main goal right now is the Olympics."</p>.<p>However, India's PV Sindhu, one of the world's highest-earning female athletes, has reversed her decision to skip the Uber Cup.</p>.<p>Sindhu had previously pulled out citing a family function, but she has now changed her plans following a request from India's badminton association.</p>.<p>Two other tournaments will be held in Denmark after the Thomas and Uber Cups on October 3-11, followed by three in consecutive weeks from November 10 in Asia, at locations that are yet to be announced.</p>