TOKYO, June 20, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – A member of the Uganda Olympic team has
tested positive for coronavirus on arrival in Japan, just over a month before
the pandemic-postponed Games, officials said.
The first group to arrive from Uganda — a nine-strong party, including
boxers, coaches and officials — landed at Tokyo’s Narita airport on
Saturday. They are the second team to arrive after Australia women’s softball
squad on June 1.
But one of the African nation’s delegation tested positive during screening
at the airport, a government official told reporters. The person tested twice
but their condition remained unknown, reported local media.
“I heard the person has been isolated based on regulations,” Hidemasa
Nakamura, the Tokyo 2020 Games delivery officer, told reporters, renewing a
pledge to take strict measures against infections.
Public broadcaster NHK said the group had all been vaccinated and tested
negative in Uganda before they came to Japan.
The team was originally due to have arrived in Japan on June 16, but their
flight was cancelled following a surge in Covid-19 cases in Uganda, local
media said.
The other members of the Ugandan party have already left the airport for
Osaka, western Japan, where they will train ahead of the Games.
This was the first case showing positive Covid test results among Olympic
arrivals from overseas, local media said.
Last week organisers released virus guidelines for athletes as part of
their effort to hold the Games safely even though the pandemic has not yet
been brought under control.
Organisers said they would meet on Monday to discuss how many domestic
spectators to allow, if any, with reports suggesting they would opt for a cap
of 10,000 people.
Nippon Television said organisers were considering setting the upper limit
of spectators, including guests and officials, at 20,000 for the July 23
opening ceremony.
Fans from abroad are already banned from attending the postponed event.