Cases of COVID-19 Caused No Panic in Netherlands' Olympic Team - Delegation Chief

TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) The Dutch Olympic team remains calm and collected despite detection of COVID-19 cases among its members, the leader of the Netherlands' delegation in Tokyo, Pieter van den Hoogenband, said on Thursday.

A total of three people � two athletes and a staffer of the Dutch rowing team who wished to remain anonymous � tested positive for COVID-19. For skateboarder Candy Jacobs and taekwondo fighter Reshmie Oogink, the infection means they will not be able to participate in the iconic global competition this year.

"It is clear that everyone would like to avoid such a scenario, but we are ready for it. There is a calm atmosphere in the team.

Everyone knows what to do and that they do not need to panic, worry," van den Hoogenband was quoted as saying by Dutch newspaper AD.

Only 42 out of 288 members of the Dutch Olympic delegation will attend the games' opening ceremony as a precautionary measure, the chief of mission said.

"Athletes are careful, they do not want to risk and get infected immediately before the games. We respect their choice," he said.

The 2020 Olympic Games were postponed for a year due to the coronavirus. The opening ceremony is on Friday and the games will last through August 8. The Tokyo Olympics will feature the largest ever variety of sports � 33 � and gather about 19,000 competing athletes.