Paris 2024: COVID-19 hits Olympic games, forces several athletes to withdraw

Three years after the Tokyo Olympics were held with strict precautions and no fans due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about the virus have resurfaced in Paris.

COVID-19 has caused some athletes to withdraw from events at the Paris Games and others to start wearing masks again. However, the impact is significantly more limited this time.

Several athletes have tested positive, including Australian swimmer Lani Pallister. Pallister, a medal contender in the women’s 1500 meters freestyle, had to withdraw from the event. However, a team spokesperson stated that the decision was made to conserve Pallister’s energy for the 4x200m freestyle relay starting on Thursday.

Similarly, British swimmer Adam Peaty tested positive a day after narrowly missing out on the 100m breaststroke gold, sharing the silver with American Nic Fink. Peaty has announced he will focus on a “fast, full recovery” to perform his best in the relays later in the week.

“Adam’s okay, he’s not dying. He’s alright, just a bit of a cold,” said Peaty’s British teammate Matt Richards after his 100m freestyle heat on Tuesday. “We’ll avoid it (COVID) as best as we can. But we’re here to race. If we get a little bit ill whilst we’re racing we’ll keep racing. It’s how we do it.”

Several Australian women’s water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 days before the opening ceremony, requiring them to isolate from other team members. Nevertheless, the team played on Tuesday, defeating Serbia 8-3.

The Tokyo Games were delayed a year due to COVID, and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were held with strict precautions, making Paris the first post-pandemic Olympics. There are no strict protocols or restrictions around COVID-19 in Paris.

“We have a protocol that any athlete who has tested positive must wear a mask, and we remind everyone to follow best practices, but in terms of monitoring COVID, cases are quite low in France,” said Anne Descamps, Paris 2024 chief communications director.

British swimmer Jacob Whittle mentioned that his team is being more stringent with precautions. “We’re hand sanitizing and wearing masks everywhere we can,” he said. “When we’re swimming and speaking to reporters are the only times we’re not wearing a mask. It’s about being extra cautious when eating, going on buses, and in communal spaces to avoid catching it and not spreading it if you have it. Just being careful really.”

Canada’s chief medical officer, Mike Wilkinson, said his team continues to follow many of the infection prevention protocols that were effective during the COVID pandemic, including hand washing, sanitization, and good hygiene practices. “We also have a team that disinfects shared spaces throughout the day and isolation protocols for anyone who does get sick,” he said.