On Monday, news emerged that adds further uncertainty to the Olympics: a female gymnast from the United States tested positive for Covid-19. In addition, a member of the US team reportedly had close contact with her.
The athlete learned that she had been infected after she tested positive at the team’s training camp (located in the city of Inzai). At the moment she has no symptoms.
According to international press reports, both athletes have been taken to a hotel for quarantine, while the rest of the US Olympic team is already in the athletes’ village in Tokyo.
The identity of the gymnast was not made public, although the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) revealed that the athlete was included in the team as an alternate.
The USOC released a statement announcing this untimely event and remarking that the health and safety of its athletes, coaches and staff are its “top priority.”
“We can confirm that an alternate on the women’s artistic gymnastics team tested positive for Covid-19. Out of respect for the individual’s privacy, we cannot provide more information at this time,” they said.
She is so far the fourth athlete to receive this bad news, after two South African footballers tested positive over the weekend and Czech beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic tested positive earlier on Monday.
