Uganda first to test positive at Tokyo Olympics

Special Desk

While debate over once again postponing Tokyo Olympics goes on one member of Uganda’s Olympic squad has become has tested positive for covid, the first to test positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Japan. The competition is slated to start on 23 July.

The event was postponed last year, but is now going ahead despite a fresh wave of Covid-19 cases in Japan. The Tokyo Olympics are now just over a month away and calls to ditch the Games in the face of the pandemic are getting louder by the day.

But a significant point is. The contract between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and host city Tokyo has one article regarding cancellation and it only gives the option for the IOC to cancel, not for the Tokyo.

Arrival of sportsperson in Japan had begun with teams from Australia on June 01.

Like Japan, Uganda too is also experiencing a surge in cases, which forced the government to tighten lockdown measures. The Ugandan was part of a nine-member squad who had all been fully vaccinated.

The group included boxers, coaches, and officials had also tested negative before leaving from Uganda. However, one of them tested positive on arrival at Tokyo’s Narita airport, and was quarantined at a government-designated facility, Japanese officials were quoted.

The rest of the squad left by chartered bus for Osaka, in western Japan, where they are to train ahead of the Games. The Ugandans were the second group of foreign athletes to arrive for training ahead of the competition. The Australian women’s softball squad arrived on 1 June.

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Foreign spectators have been banned from the Olympics. A decision is expected to be taken on Monday on whether to allow domestic spectators. Having no spectators at the Games is the least risky option, Japanese medical experts have said.

But other Japanese officials have indicated they want domestic fans to attend if possible. Tokyo reported 376 cases of Covid and one death on 20 June, 72 more than a week ago.