COC report finds no systemic error took place during flight to Tokyo Olympics

The Czech Olympic Committee (COC) has finished its investigation into the official flight that transported a part of the Czech Olympic Team to Tokyo after which several team members tested positive for the coronavirus. The subsequent report has found no systemic or serious individual failures. However, some members of the team did not wear masks during the flight and immediately after the landing in the Japanese capital, the Chairman of the Czech Olympic Committee Jiří Kejval told Czech Radio on Sunday.

Mr Kejval said that the report failed to shed light on how a person infected with COVID-19 managed to get onto the plane. Two coronavirus tests were conducted ahead of the flight, the last of which took place 24 hours before take off. The Czech Olympic Committee believes that testing should therefore either be moved closer to take off time, or another set of tests should be added. Introducing another safety measure is also under consideration, Mr Kejval said.

The results of the investigation will be forwarded to the International Olympic Committee in order to prevent the possibility of a similar event occurring during the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing next year.

The head of the Czech Republic’s National Sports Agency, Filip Neusser, criticised that the report was conducted by the Czech Olympic Committee which was responsible for transporting the athletes and other team members in the first place. Mr Kejval responded by saying that the Czech Olympic Committee had conducted the investigation upon request from the International Olympic Committee.

Four Czech Olympic team athletes – cyclist Michal Schlegel, volleyball players Ondřej Perušič and Markéta Nausch Sluková, and table tennis player Pavel Širuček – as well as a team coach and a doctor tested positive for COVID-19 after the flight.