X

Tokyo Olympics: The athletes that have tested positive for COVID-19

Some athletes, both inside and outside the village, have already tested positive for COVID-19

Mark Serrels Editorial Director
Mark Serrels is an award-winning Senior Editorial Director focused on all things culture. He covers TV, movies, anime, video games and whatever weird things are happening on the internet. He especially likes to write about the hardships of being a parent in the age of memes, Minecraft and Fortnite. Definitely don't follow him on Twitter.
See full bio
Mark Serrels
2 min read
A man in a COVID mask walks by a Tokyo Olympics logo

A number of athletes have already tested positive and the games haven't yet begun.

 Behrouz Mehri/Getty Images

The Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now going ahead, despite health specialists calling for another postponement or outright cancellation.

And with good reason. Despite strict COVID protocols, multiple athletes attending the Tokyo Olympics have already tested positive for the virus. Toshiro Muto has admitted that a spike in new cases would result to "discussions" about the cancellation of the Olympics. ""We can't predict what will happen with the number of coronavirus cases," said Muto, in a press conference.

Here are the athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.

Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi

Thabiso Monyane and Kamohelo Mahlatsi, both members of the South African soccer team at the Olympics, have both been named as having tested positive for COVID-19. Mario Masha, the team's video analyst also tested positive and all three are isolating in their rooms in the Olympic village. According to the BBC, 21 players and officials were close contacts.

Ondrej Perusic

Ondrej Perusic, a 26-year-old beach volleyball player from the Czech Republic, was the third player to officially test positive for COVID-19 in the athlete village in Tokyo.

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff, a 17 year old tennis player on Team USA, announced she was withdrawing from the Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19. She was set to be the youngest Olympic tennis player since Mario Ancic in 2000. 

Katie Lou Samuelson

Katie Lou Samuelson, a member of Team USA's 3 on 3 basketball team, tested positive for COVID-19. She'll be replaced by Jackie Young, a 23 year old who plays for the Las Vegas Aces.

Samuelson hadn't yet made the trip to Tokyo.

Neil Powell

Neil Powell is the South Africa Sevens rugby coach, he tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Japan. He is currently isolating with the team in Kagoshima.

A female US gymnast

The US Olympic Committee (USOC) confirmed that a female US gymnast tested positive for COVID-19, but didn't name her. (It's not Simone Biles.) According to the USOC the athlete in question is an alternate and not a member of the main team.

Bradley Beal and Jerami Grant

Bradley Beal, a basketball player on the US team, has been ruled out of the Olympics, for health and safety reasons. Jerami Grant, another member of the basketball team was also placed in the health and safety protocol, but some are still hopeful he'll make it to Tokyo.

Alex de Minaur

Alex de Minaur, Australia's highest ranked Tennis player, tested positive for COVID-19 and had to pull out of the Olympics. He tested positive on July 10.

Team GB

Six members of the Great Britain Olympic team had to go into isolation after being exposed to a COVID-19 case on a flight to Tokyo. They are currently training in isolation and will be able to mingle with other athletes once they pass two PCR tests for COVID-19.

We'll update this post as new potential COVID-19 cases come in.