An outbreak of COVID-19 at the European Championships in Poland a fortnight ago has led organisers to contact all 300 competitors alerting them to the outbreak of the virus at the event.
Sailors competing in Gdansk received an email communication from organisers, Eurilca, that a male Portuguese competitor tested positive for Covid-19 and is still in quarantine in Poland.
Last night, Irish Olympic team manager James O'Callaghan told Afloat, it was a case of 'all good' for the seven-boat Team IRL who finish their quarantine period after travelling to the Polish event today.
Some competitors were reported as feeling unwell as soon as they returned home.
The championships drew competitors from as many as 40 countries in the men's and women's divisions of the Tokyo Olympic class.
In Denmark, the championship silver medalist, Anne Marie Rindom is reported to have tested positive by national media.
Rindom, the 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, is said to be recovering from 'some hard days with covid-19'.
“It has gotten a little better over the last few days, but I have had a high fever, pain in my head and all over my body,” she told Denmark's TV2 Sport.
During the course of the Gdansk event, the Polish government moved to put the country into a ‘yellow zone’ in a bid to curtail the spread of COVID, according to the organisers who provided health checks as part of the regatta set-up.
The championships were heralded as the 'first opportunity since the pandemic outbreak for Olympic campaigners to race again in such a big fleet', so it will be very disappointing news for all concerned that despite measures taken - including onsite testing - that the virus has had such an impact on the international sailing circuit.
A copy of the email received by the sailors is below.
Senior Europeans 2020 In Poland: Very important information
Dear Sailor,
We have been informed later this morming that a sailor from the portuguese was tested positive to covid-19 and is still in quarantine in Poland.
His portuguese roomate in the room during the event is back in Portugal and has been also tested positive.
The rest of the portuguese team has been now tested and waiting for the results of the test in Portugal.
The organizing committte and EurILCA wanted to inform you of that situation and if you have been in contact with them suggest to be testing.
Please follow the procedures with the medical authorities in your country and contact them as they will advise you how to proceed.
We know some people were tested arriving at their airport destination if they were flying.
But it could not the case for all and for the ones who travel by car or van.
We suggest to extremely carefull and we will update you if any more news. [SIC].
Irish sailors say there has been no further follow-up by organisers since the event.
