Sixteen Australian Olympians have tested positive for Covid in Paris, but the Australian Olympic Committee has described the numbers as “modest and in line with expectations”.
Three years on from the pandemic-impacted Olympics in Tokyo, there are no formal Covid-related requirements imposed by event organisers at the Paris Olympics. But the Australian team has been taking no chances, masking in high-risk areas, bringing their own testing machine to the Olympic village and establishing isolation rooms for athletes who test positive.
On Tuesday, the AOC in a statement said that 44 athletes and officials had tested positive for some form of illness detected by the testing (including Covid, influenza and other related illnesses). This came from a total of 85 individuals tested. Thirty-one of those who tested positive were athletes, with 16 having Covid.
“Our testing has been the most extensive and accurate of any Games, allowing early and targeted treatments,” said Australian team doctor Dr Carolyn Broderick.
“Some illnesses were detected on arrival, others during training or competition and some after competition. With more than 1,000 Australians in team accommodation these results are modest and in line with expectations. We have kept this team training and competing.”
A covid outbreak went through the Australian women’s water polo team at the beginning of the Games, but it does not seem to have affected their performance – the Stingers have qualified for the quarter-final and will face Greece on Tuesday evening.
Two swimmers have also disclosed that they were infected by the virus – Lani Pallister withdrew from the 1500m freestyle event to recover ahead of the women’s 4x200m freestyle, where Australia won gold. Zac Stubblety-Cook also revealed he swam through a Covid infection to clinch the silver medal in the men’s 200m breaststroke.
“In terms of performance and how we’re treating Covid off of medical advice, it’s like any other respiratory illness,” said chef de mission Anna Meares on Monday.
