Kampala, Jan 11 (IANS): The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has greenlit the 2021 Uganda International Badminton Championship scheduled for February 25-28 in the capital Kampala, a top sports official has said here.

Simon Mugabi, the executive director of the Uganda Badminton Association, told Xinhua news agency in an interview on Sunday that the championship will be held under strict adherence to the Covid-19 prevention measures

"The 2020 season was greatly affected by several events around the world being cancelled due to Covid-19. We are glad that we shall be able to host one of the biggest tournaments in Africa in the first quarter of the year," Mugabi said.

He said all players and visitors coming for the championship will be permitted to enter the country after presenting a negative Covid-19 test result taken not more than 72 hours before departing for Uganda.

Mugabi said the test is mandatory for all incoming and departing passengers even if the destination country does not require it.

The 2021 Uganda International Badminton Championship has been categorised as an International Series tournament, part of the BWF ranking, and part of the Badminton Confederation Africa circuit, according to Mugabi.

He said the championship will feature the men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and the mixed doubles, which will all have cash prizes for the top players in each category.

Hungary's Gergely Krausz and Thet Htar Thuzar from Myanmar won the men's and women's singles category respectively in the 2020 Uganda International Badminton Championship.