KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian women's hockey team will know their fate today in the Donghae Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), which starts on Sunday, after one of their players tested positive for Covid-19.
Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) are also backing Malaysia's bid to play in the tournament as they wrote a strongly worded letter to the South Korean HA on Friday.
Other members of the team have tested negative for Covid.
The problem started when Malaysia arrived in Korea on Nov 29 and underwent a Covid-19 test on the next day. Nurul Faezah Shafiqah returned a positive result.
"She was immediately separated from the rest of the Malaysian players and officials to begin her quarantine.
"However, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are bafflled with the turn of events as all the players, coaches and support staff underwent a Covid-19 test as regulated that had returned negative before boarding the flight," said MHC president Datuk Subahan Kamal.
The AHF, in the letter, said: "We strongly feel that if the affected player had tested negative after several retests, including the one today (Friday), then in our undestanding, no member of the team is positive, and the concept of close contact should not apply.
"We would like to emphasise again that it is not acceptable at all to hold players in quarantine and not allow them to participate in an event they have trained and prepared for, after presenting several negative results."
National women's coach Nasihin Nubli said: "All the players and support staff do not show any outward Covid-19 symptoms and has tested negative numerous times since our arrival here.
"We have been kept under room quarantine and not allowed to go out since arrival. I have been conducting online sessions with my players. The fact that we have yet to train on the pitch is posing a headache for everyone here.
"The Korean health department will be holding a meeting with the AHF today, and I hope Malaysia will be allowed to play in the ACT on Sunday," said a frustrated Nasihin.
On Sunday, Malaysia are slated to play China.