MELBOURNE, July 13 (BNA): Australian athletes will be prevented from supporting their teammates at other Commonwealth Games events in Birmingham due to the risk of COVID-19 transmission, Chief of Mission Team Petria Thomas said.
They will also have to wear face masks when they are not in their rooms or exercising on July 28-August 8 as part of team health protocols, Reuters reports.
“Our main focus is to be able to get our athletes to the starting line ready to perform,” Thomas told News Corp on Wednesday.
“We have to put these measures in place to reduce transmission of COVID and other diseases as well.”
COVID continues to disrupt global sport, with a number of swimmers forced to withdraw from the recent World Swimming Championships in Budapest after testing positive.
About 5,000 athletes from 72 countries and territories are scheduled to compete in Birmingham.
The Office for National Statistics estimated that 3.95% of people in England, or one in 25, tested positive for coronavirus during the week ending June 29.
Athletes underwent strict protocols over the coronavirus while in a “closed loop” at the Winter Olympics in Beijing as well as at last year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Unlike the Olympic Games, athletes will not have to leave Birmingham immediately after their events.
Thomas said Australian athletes would be allowed to stay and support teammates but not in competition venues.
“There will be no opportunity to go and watch the other events as these seats will unfortunately be in public viewing areas, presenting a very high risk of COVID-19 transmission,” she added.