Australian athletics contingent in panic after inconclusive COVID test

Tokyo: Days before the start of the Tokyo Olympics, there was a panic situation in the Australian Games-bound athletics contingent after an inconclusive test of an official forced the squad be placed under quarantine in their rooms for hours at their training base in Cairns.

The official, who tested negative later, had to undergo a battery of tests. After the negative report came, the athletes were allowed to come out of their rooms to compete in a warm-up competition on Sunday. The official, who has not been named, had interacted with a number of athletes.

"The team will continue to be tested during its training camp in Cairns and will complete the mandatory 96 hour and 72 hours tests prior to departure for Tokyo," the Australian Olympic Committee said in a statement.

Dr David Hughes, medical director of the Australian Olympic team, said that out of caution, everyone in the track and field camp was immediately placed in isolation in their rooms.

"We expect that there'll be cases associated with these Games and really what's going to matter is how we respond to that and to ensure that there's no complacency," said Hughes.

There was also news about two athletes residing in the Olympic Village testing positive for the COVID-19 virus on Sunday. Another athlete residing in a hotel also tested positive for the virus.

The news of infections from the Olympic Village in Harumi comes at a time when athletes from around the world are flying into Tokyo ahead of the start of the Olympics from July 23.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Organising Committee have been insisting that the Games will not become a super-spreader event. Tokyo, placed under the fourth wave of emergency, has seen more than 1,000 cases reported in the last four days.

"The three cases were from the same country and sport. They are isolated in their rooms and Tokyo 2020 is delivering meals to them," said Masa Takaya, the spokesperson of the Tokyo Organising Committee. He added that the rest of the team has also been tested. The identity of the team has not been revealed.