Tokyo Olympics 2020: Athletes shun Covid threat in Olympic village

Two athletes have had their Olympic dreams shattered and have become the first to be ruled out of the Games after contracting coronavirus in Tokyo.

Olympic athletes have dismissed fears of Covid outbreaks in the village. Picture: Toru Hanai/Getty

Fernanda Aguirre, a Chilean taekwondo fighter due to compete on Sunday and Candy Jacobs, a Dutch skateboarder due to compete on Monday have become the first Olympians to be ruled out of the Games after contracting coronavirus in Tokyo.

The two athletes have tested positive to the virus while in the athletes village — adding to the three others that tested positive earlier this week.

But unlike South African footballers Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi and the Czech volleyballer Ondrej Perusic, Aguirre and Jacobs will not have satisfied mandatory 10-day quarantine periods before their competition.

This brings to six the number of cases reported in the 18,000-person village as part of 67 linked to the Games.

Great Britain medal hopeful Amber Hill was another to withdraw from the Games.

The talented shooter was due to compete in the women’s Olympic skeet competition but tested positive in the UK, prior to her departure.

Two athletes have had their Olympic dream shattered. Picture: Philip Fong/AFP

Earlier, Tokyo 2020 competitors have dismissed the threat of Covid-19 despite fears a cluster in the compact athletes’ village could spread, the boss of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes Commission has declared.

Four cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the 18,000-person village as part of 67 linked to the Olympic Games.

Olympic athletes have dismissed fears of Covid outbreaks in the village. Picture: Toru Hanai/Getty

IOC Athletes Commission Chair Kirsty Coventry, who visited the village on Monday, played down the threat of Covid-19 and said athletes were focused on competing.

“When I was in the village, there was no concern from any athletes that they raised with me, they all were just sharing the excitement that they had and how they wanted to just get on and start competing,” she said.

“I think everyone is doing their best to ensure that it’s a safe games for everyone with the protocols that everyone is going through.

“And obviously, if an athlete or coach or an entourage, member of the team within the village does after coming into Japan, test positive then there are actions that are taken straightaway to ensure safety.”

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2020: Athletes shun Covid threat in Olympic village