Alternate on US women’s gymnastics team tests positive for COVID-19, Olympic officials confirm
An alternate on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team has tested positive for COVID-19, days before the Olympics are set to begin in Tokyo.
“The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority. We can confirm that an alternate on the women’s artistic gymnastics team tested positive for COVID-19,” the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement on Monday.
“In alignment with local rules and protocols, the athlete has been transferred to a hotel to quarantine. Out of respect for the individual’s privacy, we cannot provide more information at this time,” the committee added.
The four alternates on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team are Kayla DiCello, Kara Eaker, Emma Malabuyo and Leanne Wong, USA Today reported.
The committee’s announcement comes after the city of Inzai, the location of a pre-Olympic training camp, revealed on its website that one person from the U.S. women’s gymnastics team tested positive for COVID-19, according to the newspaper.
The development follows American tennis star Coco Gauff’s announcement in a social media post on Sunday that she dropped out of the Games after testing positive for COVID-19. She said she was “so disappointed” to share the news.
“It has always been a dream of mine to represent the USA at the Olympics, and I hope there will be many more chances for me to make this come true in the future. I want to wish TEAM USA best of luck and a safe games for every Olympian and the entire Olympic family,” Gauff wrote.
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) July 18, 2021
Team USA Basketball’s Bradley Beal, of the Washington Wizards, will also be forced to sit out the Tokyo Games after entering health and safety protocols last week.
And Jerami Grant of the Detroit Pistons was placed under health and safety protocols “out of an abundance of caution,” according to USA Basketball.
Bradley Beal, who was placed under USA Basketball’s health & safety protocols on Wednesday, will remain in protocol & will be unable to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Out of an abundance of caution, Jerami Grant has been placed under health & safety protocols.
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 15, 2021
COVID-19 has been an ongoing threat to the Olympics in Tokyo, especially as the country undergoes its fourth state of emergency as cases rise in the region.
Japan announced earlier this month that the Games will not have spectators in attendance.
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