Three years after the Tokyo Olympics were held amid strict precautions and no fans due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, fears of the disease have resurfaced at the Paris Games.
The virus has forced athletes participating in the Paris Games to withdraw from events and has prompted others to wear masks again, though the impact this time is much more limited.
Several athletes have tested positive, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister, who had to withdraw from the women’s 1500 meters freestyle event.
A team spokeswoman stated that the decision was made to save Pallister’s energy for the 4x200m freestyle relay, which starts on Thursday.
British swimmer Adam Peaty also tested positive a day after narrowly missing out on gold in the 100m breaststroke, sharing silver with American Nic Fink.
Peaty announced he would focus on a “fast, full recovery” to perform his best in relays later in the week. “Adam’s okay, he’s not dying. He’s alright, just a bit of a cold,” Peaty’s British teammate Matt Richards said after his 100m freestyle heat on Tuesday.
Richards emphasized their commitment to racing despite the virus: “We’ll avoid it (COVID) as best as we can, but we’re here to race. If we get a little bit ill whilst we’re racing, we’ll keep racing. It’s how we do it.”
Several Australian women’s water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 in the days leading up to the opening ceremony, forcing them to isolate from other team members.
However, the team played on Tuesday, defeating Serbia 8-3.
The Tokyo Games were delayed a year due to COVID, while the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were held with strict precautions, making Paris the first post-pandemic Olympics. There are no strict protocols or restrictions around COVID-19 in Paris.
“We have a protocol that any athlete who tests positive has to wear a mask, and we remind everyone to follow best practices, but in terms of monitoring COVID, cases are quite low in France,” said Anne Descamps, Paris 2024 chief communications director.
British swimmer Jacob Whittle mentioned that his team is taking extra precautions.
“We’re hand sanitising and wearing masks everywhere we can,” he said.
“When we’re swimming and doing stuff like this (speaking to reporters) are the only times we’re not wearing a mask. It’s just being extra cautious when eating and going on buses and communal spaces, just being really conscious so as to not catch it and also if you’ve got it not to give it to anyone else. Just being careful really.”
Canada’s chief medical officer, Mike Wilkinson, said his team continued to implement many of the infection prevention protocols that proved successful during the COVID pandemic, including hand washing, sanitisation, and good hygiene practices.
“We also have a team that disinfects shared spaces throughout the day and isolation protocols for anyone who does get sick,” he added.
