The South African Olympic team will continue to follow all the necessary protocols to ensure there is no further spread of the Covid-19 virus after three members of the men’s football team returned positive Tests.
JOHANNESBURG – The South African Olympic team will continue to follow all the necessary protocols to ensure no further spread of the Covid-19 virus in the camp or the Olympic village following Sunday’s dramatic news that three members of the men’s football squad had tested positive.
The positive tests returned by Thabiso Monyane, Kamohelo Mahlatsi, and video analyst Mario Masha, following the latest round of daily sputum (saliva) testing, brings to four, the number of people in the Team SA delegation who’ve tested positive.
The rugby Sevens team’s coach, Neil Powell, also tested positive, and is in an isolation facility in Kagoshima, where the team is holding a pre-Games training camp.
“Every member of Team South Africa required full medical clearance as an eligibility criteria. In addition, they were encouraged to isolate for two weeks pre-departure, monitor health daily, report any symptoms, and produce two negative nasopharyngeal PCR tests taken within 96 hours of departure, as per Tokyo 2020 requirements,” Team SA’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Phatho Zondi, explained.
— Team South Africa (@TeamSA2020) July 18, 2021
“The timing of the positive results suggests that the PCR test in these individuals was done during the incubation period of the infection, which is how they could be negative in South Africa and then positive in Japan. They are now in isolation where they will continue to be monitored and will not be allowed to train or have any physical contact with the rest of the squad,” Zondi added.
The SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee stated, that the general team management are following all protocols and processes and pursuing all channels to expedite decision-making and ensure the comfort and needs of all affected individuals.
