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Kontiolahti (dpa) - Hotel isolation for Russia's biathletes, home quarantine for Austria's ski jumpers and corona confusion among Norway's cross-country skiers: the winter sports season has not really started yet, the virus is already causing a lot of problems.
Before the start of the biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland this Saturday, there are already positive results from five nations.
The worst affected so far are the Russians, who after four cases alone - including an active player in ex-season world champion Anton Babikow (29) - were initially not allowed to leave their hotel rooms on Thursday.
Team members from Latvia, Moldova, Romania and France were also positive for the virus.
While the French did not have to be quarantined, the Finnish authorities will still decide how to proceed in the other cases.
Also in Finland, the entire cross-country skiing team from Norway had to go into quarantine for a short time, according to media reports.
The reason was that national coach Eirik Myhr Nossum had initially tested positive on Wednesday.
A control test at Nossum later turned out negative, as the radio station NRK reported.
This means that the Norwegians will be able to take part in the World Cup start on Friday.
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According to the reports, the Norwegian ski jumpers and combiners have not been affected by the corona worries.
They were therefore able to complete their program in Ruka as planned.
Very different from Austria's ski jumpers, who are in quarantine at home.
Gregor Schlierenzauer and Philipp Aschenwald as well as head coach Andreas Widhölzl tested positive before leaving.
There is now only one B-team for the Austria-Adler in Finland.
There were already plenty of compulsory corona breaks in the Alpine World Cup.
From the Austrian Marco Schwarz to the Italian Manfred Mölgg, several Swiss to the entire Swedish women's team.
This was last isolated in Levi, Finland after an instruction from the authorities because a coach was positive.
All athletes had given negative tests several times.
In bobsleigh, Austrians and Russians met last weekend at the World Cup in Sigulda, Latvia.
It is still unclear whether they will be allowed to compete again in the upcoming competitions.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201126-99-473561 / 2
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