COVID-19 Outbreak Threatens Olympics Athletes in France

COVID-19 hits Olympics team in France...

COVID-19 outbreak hits Paris Olympics, forcing athletes to withdraw and wear masks. Several competitors, including Australian and British swimmers, test positive, impacting events and teams.

The Paris Games, taking place three years after the pandemic-affected Tokyo Olympics, have been hit by another COVID-19 outbreak. This time, athletes are being forced to withdraw from events and wear masks as a precautionary measure.

Several competitors, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister, have tested positive for the virus. Pallister, a medal hopeful in the women's 1,500 meters freestyle, has been forced to withdraw from the race and isolate in her room, dealing a significant blow to her Olympic dreams.

British swimmer Adam Peaty has tested positive for COVID-19, just a day after winning a silver medal in the 100 meters breaststroke event, where he shared the podium with American Nic Fink. Despite feeling unwell on the morning of his race, Peaty still managed to secure a silver medal.

Although Peaty's positive test result may impact his individual events, he remains hopeful about competing in the relay events scheduled for later in the week. His participation, however, will depend on his health and recovery progress.

“The team spirit is really high,” Peaty's British teammate Matt Richards said after his 100m freestyle heat on Tuesday morning, July 30.

“I think we've done a good job on just trying to make sure we take all the precautions we can.

“Adam's okay, he's not dying. He's alright, just a bit of a cold. We'll avoid it as best we can. We're here to race.

“If we get a little bit ill whilst we're racing we'll keep racing. It's how we do it.”

A COVID-19 outbreak has affected the Australian women's water polo team, with several players testing positive before the opening ceremony. As a result, the infected players have been forced to isolate from their teammates, potentially impacting the team's dynamics and preparation.

The Paris Games mark a significant shift in the Olympics' approach to COVID-19, being the first to be held without stringent pandemic protocols. This is a notable contrast to the previous two Olympics, where the Tokyo Games were postponed by a year due to the pandemic, and the Beijing Winter Olympics were held under strict COVID-19 restrictions.

“We have a protocol that any athlete that has tested positive has to wear a mask and we remind everyone to follow best practices but in terms of monitoring COVID, cases are quite low in France,” said Anne Descamps, Paris 2024 chief communications director.

British swimmer Jacob Whittle revealed that his team is stepping up their COVID-19 precautions and taking extra safety measures to minimize the risk of infection.

“We're hand sanitizing and wearing masks everywhere we can,” Whittle said. "When we're swimming and doing stuff like this are the only times we're not wearing a mask

“It's just being extra cautious when eating and going on buses and communal spaces, just being really conscious as to not catch it and also if you've got it not to give it to anyone else. Just being careful really.”