Five members of the Czech Olympic delegation test positive for COVID-19; team flight may have contributed to the spread

A cluster of COVID-19 cases has emerged in the Czech delegation at the Tokyo Olympics.

And it appears that a chartered flight to Tokyo – and, according to Czech media, an unvaccinated doctor – might have contributed to the spread.

The Czech Olympic Committee announced Thursday that it is investigating whether lax behavior on a team flight to Tokyo last week might be to blame for the spate of COVID-19 cases within its group. The investigation will examine "whether all precautions against the spread of COVID-19 before, during and after the charter flight have been complied with," according to a news release.

Five members of the Czech delegation – including three athletes – had tested positive and were in isolation as of Thursday. 

"The situation is serious," Czech team leader Martin Doktor said in a statement. "We have done our best to stop spreading the virus. Unfortunately, we didn’t avoid sport tragedies. I’m deeply sorry."

The Czech News Agency reported that 42 people – including 14 athletes – were aboard the chartered flight in question, and that not all of the passengers wore their masks for the duration of the flight. 

multiple outlets in the Czech Republic have identified Vlastimil Voráček, an orthopedist with the delegation, as the first person who tested positive upon arrival.

The Czech News Agency reported that Voráček is not vaccinated, and he is quoted in a news article from Oct. 2020 as claiming that gargling mouthwash can prevent the spread of COVID-19. Experts said late last year that current research didn't support that claim. 

The situation has even drawn the attention – and criticism – of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who has dubbed it a scandal.

"Everywhere we convince people to be vaccinated. And here the doctor of our delegation is not vaccinated," Babiš said Wednesday, according to the Czech News Agency.

A spokesperson for the Czech Olympic Committee did not reply to messages from USA TODAY Sports on Thursday seeking additional information. 

The COC said in its news release that it would not comment on the chartered flight and its potential contribution to the spread of COVID-19 "until the investigation is closed and a report on its outcome is published," which is expected within 14 days.

Meanwhile, two Czech athletes – beach volleyball player Markéta Nausch and table tennis player Pavel Širuček – have been forced to withdraw from the Games after their positive COVID-19 tests. A third athlete, Ondřej Perušič, will miss his opening beach volleyball match but it is unclear if he may still be able to participate later in the Games.

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