IOC Refugee Olympic Team members depart for Tokyo Olympics 2020 after COVID scare

Members of the International Olympic Committee's refugee team (IOC) who gathered in Doha, Qatar, for a welcome experience are finally on their way to Tokyo Olympics 2021. Their departure was delayed due to the COVID-19 scare. The first group is due to arrive at Narita airport on Sunday. Following that 26 athletes, 16 coaches, and 10 officials will be travelling to Japan in the subsequent three days. 

Current Condition of the IOC team member

The IOC in a statement asserted that the official, who had been isolated by the Qatari Public Authorities, was considered asymptomatic and doing well. The official was single-vaccinated and followed all COVID-19 countermeasures prior to departure and during the Welcome Experience. "I feel very excited. Finally, we are going to Tokyo!" said badminton player Aram Mahmoud in a release while stepping onto the bus to go to the airport. "You could think that it is like going to any tournament. But it is not. Despite the situation, I feel ready mentally and physically and want to give my best," he added.

What caused the delay to Tokyo?

Earlier on Wednesday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stated that the COVID-19 RTPCR test of an official from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team returned positive. A follow-up test confirmed the result, while the tests of all other members of the team (athletes and officials) returned negative. Three athletes could not take part in the 'Welcome Experience' in Doha and two of them included Judo player Ahmad Alikaj and Taekwondo player Abdullah Sediqi. The official who tested positive in Doha was immediately isolated by the Qatari public authorities and will stay in Qatar until further notice. The official was single-vaccinated and followed all COVID-19 countermeasures prior to departure and during the Welcome Experience, as per IOC.

COVID Scare in Tokyo Olympic Village

Three athletes tested positive for COVID-19 as we got a glimpse of first instance of athletes staying at the village catching the infection. Their identities were not been revealed by the organisers. The third infected athlete is staying at a designated Games hotel. A total of 10 cases were detected on the day, including five “Games concerned personnel”, one contractor, and a journalist, according to the COVID-19 Positive Case List uploaded by the OC in Tokyo.

The total number of Games-related COVID-19 cases have now risen to 55 as per the OC records. International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi stated, “When there is a positive COVID-19 case it means action. There is a clear procedure to identify close contacts. A case is not just data in a spreadsheet but leads to action, including immediate follow-up testing,” The organisers did not specify whether the two infected athletes staying at the village will be quarantined elsewhere.