Meares refrained from disclosing the identity of the athlete but mentioned that individuals who had been in close contact with the affected player were under observation and undergoing tests.Despite this incident, she affirmed that the entire team would continue their training sessions as scheduled.
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The previous Olympic Games, originally slated for 2020 in Tokyo, were delayed by a year due to the global pandemic and were ultimately conducted with minimal spectator presence.
“We were due to have two players from water polo with us; however, currently we have had one athlete from their team isolating with COVID which was detected last night,” Meares told a news conference.
“So as a precaution they’re not joining us this morning. I need to emphasise that we are treating COVID no differently to other bugs like the flu. This is not Tokyo. The athlete is not particularly unwell and they are still training but sleeping in a single room.”
She said precautionary measures like wearing masks and social distancing are being adhered to by the athlete’s teammates.
“It was late last night when she presented with symptoms and the good thing is that having our own testing equipment means that we can get that information really, really quickly and intervene both in diagnosis and treatment,” Meares added.
“In terms of competitions, we will wait until she gets the all clear and we get the information from our chief medical officer Carolyn Broderick.”
The Health Minister of France, Frederic Valletoux, said there was no need to worry.
“Of course, COVID, is here. We’ve seem a small peak” in cases, he told franceinfo broadcaster. “But we are far from what we saw in 2020, 2021, 2022. Some precautions are being taken but, because the level at which COVID is spreading is very low, they depend on the organisers.”
