The Dutch rowing team is self-isolating at the Tokyo Olympics after a spate of coronavirus infections in the camp, director Hessel Evertse said on Monday.
Coach Josy Verdonkschot is quarantining after testing positive for Covid-19 following a positive test for 21-year-old men’s single sculls competitor Finn Florijn. Last week a staff member on the team also tested positive.
High-performance director of rowing Evertse said the Netherlands team had decided to take the action.
“As there are no official close contacts there is no official need to do what we do,” he said. “In good understanding we agreed with the IF (international federation) and OC (national Olympic committee) to take these measures.
“In order to get trust and confidence with other countries and especially the volunteers we are happy to cooperate.
“We focus on what we do have — a good bed, a good meal, a good practice in order to get what we are here for, our best race.”
He said all the tests carried out on Monday returned negative results.
Olympic organisers on Sunday took the decision to postpone Tuesday’s rowing finals because of the danger of strong winds as a result of an approaching tropical storm.
