July 20 – Two South Africa footballers have become the first competitors to test positive for coronavirus in the athletes’ village in Tokyo – just days before the start of the Olympic Games.
Organisers confirmed the positive tests on Sunday but didn’t identify the athletes other than to say they were non-Japanese.
The South African Football Association later confirmed there were three COVID-19 cases in its delegation – two players, defender Thabiso Monyane and midfielder Kamohelo Mahlatsi – and a video analyst.
The South African squad had been quarantined and was waiting for the results of further tests conducted on players and backroom staff, team manager Mxolisi Sibam said in a statement, throwing preparations into disarray.
South Africa is due to play Japan in its first game of the men’s tournament on Thursday – 24 hours before the Games officially open behind closed doors.
Tokyo reported 1,008 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the 29th straight day that cases were higher than seven days previously. It was also the fifth straight day with more than 1,000 cases.
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