Australia's preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympics are proceeding with minimal disruption in northern Italy, despite two non-competing staff members testing positive for Covid-19. The team, which is building towards the start of the Milan-Cortina Games on February 6, received the news at the Australian Institute of Sport's European Training Centre in Gavirate, located approximately an hour's drive from Milan.
Robust Medical Protocols Activated
The two individuals, who were symptomatic, tested positive on January 28 and 31. Immediate measures were implemented to contain any potential spread of the infection. Chief de Mission and former aerial skier Alisa Camplin confirmed that no Australian athletes scheduled to compete at the Games have tested positive.
'The Australian Winter Olympic team has medical protocols in place for any infectious disease or illness,' Camplin stated. 'These are standard operating procedures for high-performance environments which are being followed. Such protocols have been in place for past Olympics, including the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.'
Contingency Plans and Team Composition
Alternative arrangements have been established for those scheduled to arrive at the European Training Centre over the next 48 hours. Close contacts of the two positive cases were tested immediately, with results returning negative, and were administered anti-viral treatments as a precaution.
Australia will be represented by fifty-three men and women in green and gold, marking the nation's second-largest Winter Olympics team ever and the largest in twelve years. Notably, twenty-seven of these athletes will be making their debut at the Games, with a record number of female participants also set to compete.
A Strong Cohort Aims for Glory
This contingent is considered Australia's strongest-ever Winter Olympics team. It will be led by Jakara Anthony, the reigning Olympic gold medallist in moguls. Freestyle skier Laura Peel, aged 36, will be making her third appearance at the Games. Snowboarder Scotty James will attempt to complete a full set of medals, having previously won bronze in the halfpipe at PyeongChang in 2018 and silver in Beijing in 2022.
Adding to the team's youthful promise, 15-year-old Victorian snowboarding star Indra Brown will compete in the women's halfpipe at her first Winter Olympics. 'It's pretty special to be the youngest athlete for Australia at Milano Cortina,' she told the Australian Olympic Committee. 'I started dreaming about being an Olympian in 2022 after seeing Jakara Anthony win gold in Moguls. It was super inspirational and just gave me a lot of passion and desire to do it as well.'
Context from Previous Games
The most recent Winter Olympics, held in Beijing in 2022, were heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Overseas athletes and journalists were required to isolate from the general public for the entirety of those Games, with some guests describing the scenes as 'dystopian'. Australia's current protocols aim to ensure a smoother experience for its team while maintaining rigorous health standards.
