The series is well-known, but it nonetheless remains very popular. In Beijing, the organizers of the 2022 Winter Games are still counting on their ten fingers the number of events contested until the end. But, after only a few days of competition, they came under criticism from several foreign delegations regarding the conditions of isolation of athletes who tested positive for COVID-19. Last summer, the Japanese at Tokyo 2020 were there. They got over it.
One of the most violent salvos was sent by the German team. The head of mission at the Beijing Games, Dirk Schimmelpfennig, did not mince his words to mention the case of one of the figures in the delegation, Eric Frenzel, the three-time Olympic champion in Nordic combined. Testing positive for COVID-19, he was placed in isolation outside the athletes' village, as provided for by the health rules provided by the Chinese within the Olympic bubble.
According to Dirk Schimmelpfennig, the conditions of stay imposed on Eric Frenzel would be “ unacceptable“. The hotel room, in particular, would be too small, the wifi connection poor and the food served to the German skier barely passable.
« We are in intensive discussions with the IOC and BOCOG (the organizing committee), both at the operational and political level, to obtain improvements“, confided the German head of mission.
Visibly embarrassed, the IOC responded to the criticism through Christophe Dubi, the executive director of the Olympic Games. The Swiss recognized that the conditions of isolation were not “ quite good“. But, diplomatically, he noted that the Chinese organizers had already brought “ lots of improvements"
« We heard and discussed with the German Olympic Committee, assured Christophe Dubi. In the meantime, the situation has been resolved. But we're going to make sure that doesn't happen. It is very unfortunate that this affected an athlete. Let's be very careful in the future to ensure that the internet conditions, food and room sizes are perfect, as is the training equipment. Athletes already suffer enough in these conditions"
The delegation of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) also joined the debate. One of the skeleton competitors, Valeria Vasnetsova, placed in isolation after testing positive, was not really careful to criticize the food served at her door. “ I have a stomach ache, I'm very pale and I have huge black circles around my eyes, she posted on her Instagram account. I cry every day. I am very tired"
Another round of criticism: Finland. In question, the quarantine conditions imposed on one of the players of the hockey team, Marko Anttila. The coach of the Olympic selection did not hold back his words to assure that China did not respect the human rights of the unfortunate player. Marko Anttila tested positive more than two weeks before arriving in Beijing. He then presented several negative tests before leaving for China. But the Finn was found to be infected with the virus upon his arrival in the Chinese capital.
« Marko was with our team for about a week before we arrived in Beijing, where he tested negative, explained Jukka Jalonen, the Finnish coach. He was with the other players and the group of coaches. No one has been infected. We know he is healthy and ready to join us. We believe that China, for whatever reason, is not respecting its human rights. »
Same incomprehension from the Finnish team doctor. “ From a medical point of view, we know that a person like him no longer poses a danger to the team, insists Maarit Valtonen. These isolation decisions are not based on medicine or science, they are cultural and political"
