South Korean Ryu Seung-min became the first International Olympic Committee (IOC) member to test Covid-19 positive.
Ryu Seung-min, who is also the president of the Korea Table Tennis Association (KTTA), took to social media to announce that he had been diagnosed with Covid-19 after landing at Narita International Airport, just outside Tokyo, for the Olympics.
“I am completely asymptomatic, which probably has to do with the fact that I am vaccinated," Ryu wrote on Instagram.
“I apologise to the Organising Committee, our hosts here in Japan, and the IOC for the inconvenience I have caused.
“My case is just another proof that the system put in place to protect all of us is effective."
This comes after earlier on Saturday, Tokyo Olympics organisers reported the first case of COVID-19 at the athletes’ village, along with 14 other new cases connected to the Games that begin next week, raising fresh doubts over promises of a “safe and secure" event.
Postponed for a year due to the global pandemic, the Games are being held mostly without spectators and under tight quarantine rules. Most athletes are starting to arrive for the Olympics, which run from July 23 through August 8.
Czech Olympic team staff member tests positive
A Czech Olympic team staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Tokyo on a charter flight from Prague, Czech Olympic officials said on Saturday, adding that all the athletes were fine and in the Olympic Village.
The staff member — who had two negative PCR tests before departure and had no symptoms — is now in isolation along with several close contacts from the plane, team officials said in a statement. They did not name the staff member.
“Within two hours we implemented an action plan and we prepared individual rooms for all athletes and members of the escort from the plane who arrived in the village," Martin Doktor, sports director of the Czech Olympic Committee said.
“In any case, the training activities and plans of the athletes are not limited in any way."
(With inputs from Agencies)
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