The result was reported after Ecker received what was described as a false positive
during the Weekend. She did another test, and the result came back negative, before being positive again several times.
Alternate gymnasts Iker, Kayla DeCillo, Emma Malaboyo and Liann Wong traveled to Japan with six members of the American team, made up of Simon Biles, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, Sonisa Lee, Michaela Skinner and Jed Carey.
As a result, on Monday, the athletes have moved to separate accommodations and a separate training facility, as originally planned, and will continue to prepare for the games, the US gymnastics team said in a statement. The entire delegation will continue to exercise vigilance and maintain strict protocols while in Tokyo.
The health and safety of our athletes, coaches and staff is our top priority. We can confirm that a surrogate for the women’s artistic gymnastics team has tested positive for COVID-19. As per local rules and protocols, this person was taken to a quarantine hotel.
Banners in team colors from different countries
Photo: Getty Images / Carl Court
Earlier today, the Czech delegation also reported the first case of COVID-19 among the athletes.
Beach volleyball player Ondrej Perusic’s first match in seven days has become unconfirmed after the virus was confirmed. Perusic and his partner were scheduled to start their tournament against Latvia on July 26.
Czech national team president Martin Doctor said in a statement that they would request that the match be postponed so that the injured player can play.
The volleyball player, who said he has been vaccinated, is the second member of the Czech delegation to be tested positive in Tokyo, after the team official on Saturday.
Two players from the South African men’s soccer team also tested positive, Sunday.
Players and a team video analyst who tested positive the day before have been moved to the isolation center operated by the Tokyo Games Organizing Committee.
Their close contacts with the 21 South African national team are now under examination ahead of Thursday’s first game against Japan in Tokyo. The monitoring system includes daily tests, trips in a dedicated vehicle, separate training for unaffected colleagues, and confinement to their hotel room during meals.
Even though you are in close contact, you can do the bare minimum you need to be able to continue preparing for the games while you watch.
Olympics operations director Pierre Ducre said Monday.
Earlier on Monday, before the Czech case was reported, Tokyo Games organizers confirmed three new cases of COVID-19, including a media worker and a gaming employee or official.
These unidentified people have been placed in quarantine for 14 days, according to the Games’ organizers.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Authority reported 727 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. The number was 502 a week ago.
Games start Friday without fans in almost all venues, including the opening ceremony, due to the declaration of a state of emergency in Tokyo and vaccinations slower than expected. Japanese officials said Monday that 21.6% of the country’s population of 126 million has been fully vaccinated.
The number of gaming-related injuries has risen to 58 since July 1.