KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian women's hockey team currently in Donghae, South Korea, for the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), have been dealt a Covid shock.
The Malaysians arrived in South Korea on Nov 29 and underwent a Covid-19 test the next day, and Nurul Faezah Shafiqah returned a positive result.
"She was immediately separated from the rest of the Malaysian players and officials to begin her quarantine," read a statement from the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC).
"However, the MHC are baffled with the turn of events as all the players, the coaching as well as support staff, underwent a Covid-19 test as regulated to board a flight, and all the results were negative."
MHC believe the said player might have picked up the virus on the way to South Korea, either at the airport (KLIA, as well as in Korea) or on the flight itself.
"Nurul Faezah, as well as the entire Malaysian hockey contingent, have no health issues right now, and there are no Covid-19 symptoms by anybody.
"However, the entire contingent have been placed under quarantine and can't come out of their rooms, and this has hampered their training as well as warm-up matches leading to the ACT.
"A second Covid-19 test was conducted on Thursday and MHC are waiting for the result and more information from the Asian Hockey Confederation (AHF) regarding the status of the Malaysian team in the ACT."
The Malaysian team also lost their penalty corner flicker when Nuraini Abdul Rashid, who had returned from a playing stint with East Grinstead HC in England, had tested positive upon return to Malaysia and is being quarantined in Kuala Lumpur currently.
The AHF, as well as organiser South Korea, are expected to make an announcement on the status of Malaysia in the ACT by tomorrow. The tournament starts on Sunday.