Portuguese surfer Frederico Morais tests positive for COVID

TOKYO -- Portuguese surfer Frederico Morais has announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the sport’s Olympic debut in Japan.

Morais, 29, issued a statement on social media Friday evening.

“This is likely the saddest video I’ve ever had to post. In 2019 I qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that were postponed because of COVID-19. And now, because of the virus I won’t be able to compete nor represent my country,” he said in an Instagram video.

The Portuguese Olympic team said Morais would not travel to Tokyo as planned.

“I was very careful. I have been fully vaccinated for over a month, but I ended up contracting the virus,” Morais said in a statement issued through Portugal's Olympic team. “I feel fine and I will carry out my isolation. I will be following every second of our team.”

The International Surfing Association had no immediate comment but its deadline to register alternates is Saturday at 3 p.m. Morais is considered to be the best European surfer in the Tokyo Games.

The eight-day shortboard surfing competition period begins Sunday at Tsurigasaki beach.

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Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.

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