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HIGHLIGHTS

  • 5 members have tested Covid-19 positive in the Czech contingent so far in Tokyo
  • Marketa Nausch-Slukova, Pavel Sirucek and Ondrej Perusic are the 3 athletes to test positive
  • All those infected were on a charter plane that took part of the Czech team to Tokyo last Friday

Afemale beach volleyball player from Czech Republic has become the third athlete from her country to test positive for the new coronavirus ahead of the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday.

The latest Covid-19 case in their contingent prompted the Czech Olympic Committee to launch in investigation into a charter flight bringing athletes from Prague on which the first identified case also travelled.

Marketa Nausch-Slukova is the third athlete and fifth member overall to contract the virus from the Czech contingent. Nausch-Slukova’s husband and coach Simon Nausch are the only two non-playing members to test Covid positive.

Slukova finished fifth at the London Olympics in 2012, and she is now 16th in the world rankings with her team mate Barbora Hermannova.

“It’s awfully sad for me, that Barbora and me, we had to quit this way our journey to Tokio which was supposed to be a peak,” Slukova said.

Men’s table tennis player Pavel Sirucek and men’s beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic have also tested positive.

All those infected were on a charter plane that took part of the Czech team to Tokyo last Friday, together with the first identified case, doctor Vlastimil Voracek, the COV said.

The doctor was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Czech media reported, although that was not a condition of participation. A spokesman for the Czech Olympic Committee said he could not confirm this as he did not have the doctor’s consent.

The Czech Olympic Committee has launched an investigation into the virus spread on the flight, which took 14 athletes to Tokyo.

“The investigation will focus on whether all safety measures against COVID-19 spread were upheld before, during, and after the flight and whether some individuals have neglected their duties,” the Committee said.

The team said other people on the flight have been tested again by PCR tests which were all negative.

As of Thursday, 87 Olympic-related personnel, including athletes, have tested positive for COVID-19, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for Friday.

Author

India today

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