By Alfredo Echenique Lugo
25 Jul 2024, 09:08 AM EDT
This Friday, July 26, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will officially begin. One of the world’s top sporting events, although before it even starts it already seems to be causing some problems.
Recently, the head of the Australian delegation’s mission in Paris, Anna Meares, reported that five athletes from the team tested positive for Covid-19. These are five players from the women’s water polo team.
Meares explained at a press conference on Thursday that they are adhering to the protocol established for these cases and that the athletes will continue to practice as long as they feel fit to do so.
“We don’t treat COVID any differently to any other respiratory illness, but we want to make sure our protocols work as well and treating these illnesses and minimising them is integral to every Olympic Games,” said the Australian team representative.
“If those five athletes feel well enough to train, they will do so and they are following all the protocols that we have in place,” Meares concluded when announcing the infection.
The “Aussie Stingers”, as they are often nicknamed, share Group A of water polo at the Olympic Games with the Netherlands, Hungary, Canada and the People’s Republic of China.
Australia is scheduled to make its Olympic debut this Sunday against China. The progress of the five infected athletes will therefore be important in the coming days.
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