Residential buildings in the athletes' village for the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. /CFP
Two athletes in the Tokyo Olympic village tested positive for COVID-19, confirmed local organizing committee on Sunday. There was another athlete who was not in the village tested positive too.
Names, nationalities and other details of the infected athletes were not released. But Mxolisi Sibam, manager of South African football team, said that they had three who tested positive for the coronavirus – two players and one official.
The two players are Thabiso Monyane, right back of Orlando Pirates, and Kamohelo Mahlatsi, attacking midfielder of Moroka Swallows. The official is video analyst Mario Masha. The South African football team already entered quarantine, waiting for results of further tests.
"There is daily screening … Masha and Monyane reported high temperatures and positive saliva tests, and were then taken to do the nasal test … and they unfortunately tested positive for Covid-19. Mahlatsi is the latest player to go through the same process," said Sibam in a statement.
South Africa were scheduled to play against Japan at Tokyo Stadium on July 22. "This unfortunate situation has made us miss our first intensive training session last night," added Sibam.
Flags of South Korea hanging on residential buildings in the athletes' village for the Tokyo Olympics in Tokyo, July 18, 2021. /CFP
Unfortunately, the above were not the only ones testing positive for COVID-19 on the weekend. Ryu Seung-min, president of the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA) and member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday.
According to Ryu, he tested negative twice for the coronavirus in South Korea before departing for Tokyo. Nonetheless, he tested positive landing at Narita International Airport outside Tokyo.
Ryu already moved to a hotel for quarantine. "The protocol worked really well, I was immediately brought to the official isolation facility where I will wait until I have the official clearance and it is safe that I leave the room … I want to thank everyone for their diligent work. My case is just another proof that the system put in place to protect all of us is effective," said Ryu on social media platform.
The Tokyo Olympic committee said a total of 10 from abroad in connection with Games tested positive for COVID-19.