Three members of the South African soccer team staying in the Olympic Village have tested positive for COVID just days before the Olympic opening ceremonies. They are also the first Olympic athletes who tested positive in the tightly-monitored athletes’ enclave along a Tokyo waterfront.
The South African team said in a July 17 statement that defender Thabiso Monyane, midfielder Kamohelo Mahlatsi, and Mario Masha, a video analyst on the coaching staff, had tested positive on the weekend. All South African players had tested negative when they departed for Tokyo on July 13. The entire South African football team is now under quarantine, raising doubts whether they’ll be cleared for their July 22 match against Japan.
Since the announcement, South African rugby Sevens coach Neil Powell as well as an unnamed member of the female US gymnastics team have also tested positive. Outside the athlete’s complex, positive results have been reported for South Korean IOC official Ryu Seung, an unnamed member of the Nigerian delegation, and an unnamed athlete.
Despite the country’s best efforts to contain the virus, COVID remains a big concern in Tokyo at the world’s largest sporting event, expected to draw about 11 000 athletes from 200 nations. The Tokyo Olympic Committee has introduced measures such as banning spectators at games, daily COVID screening for athletes, and limiting stays at the Olympic Village to seven days.
With Japan still under a state of emergency and the COVID delta variant spreading rapidly, many continue to appeal to the International Olympic Committee to cancel the games. But some experts said that at this point a cancellation would cost Japan $16.4 billion. It would also run the risk of being sued by the IOC for breach of contract.
Addressing the outbreaks in an effort to rally local support for the events, IOC president Thomas Bach said, “We are well aware of the skepticism a number of people have here in Japan,” he said. “My appeal to the Japanese people is to welcome the athletes for their competitions.”
Source: Quartz
