The coronavirus is destroying Olympic dreams. The number of positive testers in Tokyo is increasing

Many fans around the world are crying out that this year’s Olympics are losing the purpose for which the event was created. Bringing athletes and fans from all over the world together in one place has got some major cracks in the whole context of an amazing idea. The very connection between athletes and cheering fans is completely broken in Tokyo. And then there’s the coronavirus.

Even before the Games themselves began, there were disturbing reports coming out of Tokyo about athletes or other members of the implementation teams testing positive right in the Olympic venue. The Czech team, led by one of the doctors, caused the biggest uproar.

According to the latest information, another athlete who tested positive is South African golfer Paula Retova. She will have to be replaced by Diksha Dagar from India. The women’s golf tournament is scheduled to start on Wednesday, when the Czech representative Klára Spilková will take to the course for the second time under five rings.

Earlier, however, the coronavirus spoke to the starting list of the men’s tournament. Stars such as Spaniard John Rahm and American Bryson DeChambeau were expected to be in the top 60. But positive tests took away their big dreams.

World number one John Rahm in particular is still upset about his non-participation. Istill don’t understand and can’t explain what happened and why,” Rahm told The Olympian.

“For people who don’t know, I needed to have three negative tests three days in a row before Tokyo. Thursday, negative, Friday, negative, Saturday positive. I had a second test to make sure the previous one wasn’t a false positive,” revealed a distraught Rahm.

He had experienced similar bad luck in the first week of June at The Memorial tournament. After three rounds, he led the tournament by six shots, passing five negative tests during that week. Only the sixth was positive, so he had to withdraw from the tournament. He’s now experiencing similar bitter moments for the second time in two months. Even though he had the vaccine in June.

In addition, new cases of coronavirus continue to emerge in the Games venue. According to the latest reports, organisers have reported the highest daily toll yet, which is 27 infected. A day earlier, there were 24. The identity of those infected is not disclosed by the organisers, so they may not always be athletes.

Olympic dreams can be dashed by a single positive test. And if the athletes do manage to win medals, they will be crowned in front of empty stands. In short, Olympic joy without the Olympic atmosphere. That’s what Tokyo is like.

Source: Czech Television, Golf Extra