The pandemic is still affecting cross-country ski teams as they prepare for the Olympics in Beijing, with a Norwegian skier replaced and a Swedish contender testing positive upon arrival.
After Anne Kjersti Kalv tested positive for COVID-19, the Norwegian women’s squad replaced her with Ragnhild Haga.
“We need to ensure that there are enough athletes for the distances throughout the Games,” said Gro Eide, a spokeswoman for the Ski Federation.
Heidi Weng had also tested positive, but Eide said her case was still being handled.
When Swedish cross-country skier Leo Johansson arrived in China, he was quarantined after testing positive with COVID-19, according to team spokesman Lars Markusson.
Johansson tested positive before the training camp in Italy two weeks ago and returned to Sweden, so he had no interaction with the rest of the team, according to Markusson. He had six negative PCR tests before travelling to China, but he tested positive when he arrived on Friday. Markusson said that he also tested positive on a second test on Saturday.
There were no other adverse tests on the national team when they arrived, according to team manager Peter Reinebo.
Reinebo stated that the positive results are due to Johansson’s past sickness and that he is not contagious. He can be released from quarantine after two negative tests at 24-hour intervals.
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