TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - British Ambassador to Indonesia Owen Jenkins has spoken up about the withdrawal of the Indonesian badminton team from this year’s All England tournament. He said there was no discrimination against Indonesian athletes.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, he asserted, everyone traveling to England must follow the applicable rules to protect the health of the public. According to him, the incident was a pure accident as the Indonesian team boarded a plane with someone who later tested positive for Covid-19.

“I hope we can all take a crumb of comfort from the fact that no discrimination took place,” he said in a written statement, Monday, March 22, 2021.

As the Indonesian team boarded a small, single-aisle plane, it was a normal practice to regard all passengers on board as having been exposed to the disease, and so they must undergo self-isolation without exception.

Jenkins further clarified other issues that several athletes were allowed to return to the competition despite having tested positive for Covid-19 and undergoing quarantine. He said that was because the athletes’ repeated tests turned back negative and on the advice of health protection advisers.

“This incident has no relation to those affecting the Indonesian team as there was no indication that any of these players had come into contact with a positive Covid-19 case,” he confirmed.

“The Indonesian team not being able to participate in the All England tournament is hugely unfortunate and disappointing,” Jenkins added.

Read: BWF President Apologizes Over All England Brouhaha

AHMAD FAIZ