A foreign athlete participating in the Bobsleigh World Cup in Beijing, a preparatory tournament for the 2022 Winter Olympics, tested positive for COVID-19 in a daily test on November 18 and was later determined to be asymptomatic, authorities said.

"We have transferred this athlete to an isolation facility for medical observation in accordance with the relevant measurements of the epidemic prevention manual," Zhao Weidong, director of the press department at the Olympic Organizing Committee, said. "It is understood that this foreign athlete was a close contact of a previously diagnosed asymptomatic infected person."

Two previous positive cases among foreign athletes were diagnosed as asymptomatic on November 4 and 11, respectively, and they are reported to be in good condition.

Zhao said that the success of the Games depends on all participants taking responsibility for following the playbook on COVID-19 prevention and control.

More than 2,000 participants from across the world are taking part in test events for Beijing 2022, and the closed loop system is playing a vital role in protecting their health and safety, he said. The daily PCR tests, disinfection and other COVID-19 countermeasures specified in the playbook have proved effective in the test events held so far, he added.

(With input from Xinhua)