Britain’s Adam Peaty (left) tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday, a day after standing with gold medalist Niccolò Martinengi (center) of Italy and double silver medalist Nick Funk of the United States. The men competed in the 100m breaststroke final at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Nanterre, France.
Matthias Schrader/AP
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Matthias Schrader/AP
NANTERRE, France — British sports officials say one of their star swimmers, three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The news comes a day after Peaty competed in the 100m breaststroke final and was in close contact with other athletes including American Nick Funk in Paris.
“In the hours following the final, Peaty’s symptoms became more severe and he was tested for COVID-19 on Monday morning,” Team GB said in a statement released on Monday afternoon, Paris time. “At that time he tested positive. ”
The statement confirmed that Peaty experienced symptoms of the illness Sunday before competing and interacting with other athletes.
“On Sunday, ahead of the men’s 100m breaststroke final, Adam Peaty felt unwell,” the statement read.
NPR tried to contact the UK team to ask why Peaty wasn’t tested or quarantined sooner, but received no response.
Peaty didn’t violate Olympic COVID-19 rules because there were none
Italy’s Nicolo Martinengi (centre) is greeted by Britain’s Adam Peaty (right) and USA’s Nick Funk (left) after winning the men’s 100m breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Sunday congratulate.
Peter David Joseph/AP
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Peter David Joseph/AP
There are no specific COVID-19 health rules for the Paris Summer Olympics.
This breaks the strict restrictions in place for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
On Sunday night at the medal podium, Peaty hugged Italian gold medalist Martinengi and Finke, who won silver in the event.
Peaty was also seated next to other athletes at the postgame press conference, where he addressed his pregame concerns:
“We’ve been dealt a few hands, especially in the last few days, and it’s 100 percent (incomprehensible) to me,” he said. “That’s no excuse at all.”
USA Swimming spokesman Jack Goser said U.S. sports officials and doctors are closely monitoring the situation.
“We are working with our team doctors to take the necessary precautions,” Goser said.
He could not confirm whether Fink, who is not in quarantine, had been tested for the coronavirus.
UK Sport officials, meanwhile, said they hoped Peaty would recover in time to compete in other events later this week.
A statement from the British delegation said: “The situation is being managed appropriately and all normal precautions are being taken to maintain the health of the wider (British) delegation.”
