A New Zealand athlete who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Beijing for the Winter Olympics has since tested negative.
Photo: Photosport
"In order to enter Beijing, team members must provide two negative Covid-19 tests pre-departure, one within 96 hours of travel, and one within 72 hours," the New Zealand Olympic Committee said in a statement.
"A New Zealand team member returned an initial positive test on arrival but has since returned two negative tests, as per the process, and is no longer deemed a positive case. The team member is feeling well and is looking forward to the Winter Olympic Games," the statement said.
New Zealand chef de Mission Marty Toomey said the athlete who produced a weak positive on arrival may well have been shedding viral load after having earlier recovered from having the virus.
"It's a very very high threshold and the testing is very sensitive" - Kereyn Smith
New Zealand Olympic Committee chief executive Kereyn Smith, who is based in New Zealand, told Morning Report there are very stringent processes in Beijing to protect athletes.
She said some New Zealand athletes who have been competing throughout Europe and in the northern hemisphere have encountered Covid-19.
"It is a really fine line for them just to get themselves well and get rid of all traces of Covid to get actually into Beijing itself, to get into China it's a very very high threshold and the testing's very sensitive."
The athlete obviously consistently tested negative for Covid-19 before getting on the plane, but they have now tested negative and are back in the athlete village, she said.
Smith said she understands the athlete has now been cleared to compete in their event.
She said the three Olympic villages in Beijing are in sizeable areas which allows New Zealand's four teams to have a bit more space around them.
"Once you're in that system it is a closed loop system that they're running, so the people in the villages and the Olympic environment are not coming into contact with people outside of that."
Smith said in some regards actually getting into the country fit and well is the hardest step and hopefully the athlete can now concentrate on their preparations.
Smith said the athlete has not been named for privacy reasons but she anticipated that they would be competing some time this week.
The 24th Winter Olympics opening ceremony takes place tomorrow.
New Zealand's first athletes in action are Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Cool Wakushima who compete in the Snowboard Slopestyle on Saturday.