Five Aussie Stingers test positive for COVID-19

Five athletes from Australia’s women’s water polo team, set to compete in the Paris Olympics, have tested positive for COVID-19.

Anna Meares, the chef de mission for the Australian Olympic team in Paris, confirmed that the cases are restricted to the water polo squad. She stated that the infected players can return to practice once they are well enough.

“We handle COVID like any other respiratory illness, ensuring our protocols are effective in managing and minimizing these illnesses, as is standard for every Olympic Games,” Meares said on Wednesday.

The names of the athletes affected remains confidential. The team’s protocols include mask-wearing and isolation from other teammates outside of training. According to Meares, all team members have been tested.

“More broadly, we have a respiratory illnesses protocol in place and have emphasized simple hygiene practices to all our teams upon their arrival at the village,” she added. “If anyone feels unwell or shows symptoms, they should get tested.”

This is the first Olympics since the COVID-secure bubbles at the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.