Gifts in Olympic quarantine: "For four days rice with soy sauce"

Professional cyclist Simon Geschke puts the corona quarantine at the Olympic Games in Tokyo not only mentally, but also physically.

“I am not doing so well now, especially physically, and I don't think it's because of Covid-19.

Above all, my back hurts from lying in bed a lot.

I also lack sunlight, I lack movement, I lack fresh air, we are not even allowed to open the windows here, ”said Geschke in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung (Tuesday).

The 35-year-old veteran had tested positive before the Olympic road race and has been isolated in Tokyo since then. In the hotel, the food was "unfortunately a disaster," said the professional cyclist, who says he is vegan. “There is no fruit, a little bit of vegetables, the quality is like that on an airplane. Basically I've been eating rice with soy sauce for four days. "

At least there is hope for relief: The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) “fortunately arranged for a roll of bicycles to be delivered to my room,” said Geschke, “it should come this Tuesday.” Otherwise, he had “a lot” through the DOSB Ordered food, they apparently agreed with the organizers that at least that would work. ”After his return home, which, subject to negative corona tests, is due on Sunday at the earliest, he is looking forward to a beer, his dog and his girlfriend.

“The order should be more like: girlfriend, dog, beer.

And then I'll go to sleep properly first. "

Strict rules for infected people

The German embassy also got involved. "We are working with the DOSB to ease the situation, which is really not easy, as much as possible within the framework currently set by Japan," said a spokeswoman for the German embassy in Tokyo of the German press agency. You are now in direct contact with Geschke. At the same time, they are in the process of coordinating internally with other EU countries on how to “work towards improving the quarantine conditions” in discussions with the Japanese side.

The same strict rules apply to the Olympians in Japan as to all travelers who test positive for the corona virus. Those affected complain about a lack of fresh air and freedom of movement in the quarantine. Another problem is that they are completely alone in their quarantine accommodation, in an already very difficult psychological situation.

Geschke has meanwhile been criticized by patient representatives in Germany for his comparison of the corona quarantine in Tokyo with a psychiatry. One should be “to put it mildly, surprised about this statement”, it stirs up prejudices that psychiatry is equal to a prison or even worse “, wrote the Deutsche DepressionsLiga eV in an open letter to Geschke. “With your comparison, there is a risk that those affected will feel like second-class people when they go to psychiatry. That shouldn't be, "it said.

Geschke apologized. In a dpa interview at the weekend, he said: “Absolutely nothing works here. It's half psychiatry, half prison. Although it is more likely to hit psychiatry. ”He wrote about the criticism of the Depression League. “Of course, this comparison was not thought through to the end. I don't see psychiatric hospitals as bad places, and that's not how it should come across, ”the Berliner tweeted. “Athletes are not always perfect when giving interviews. Thanks for the hint! "

The DepressionLiga, a patient advocacy group for people with depression, emphasized that psychiatric facilities are “the only and correct way” to “get out of a mental illness like depression. The board of directors of the DDL offered Geschke an interview "to explain to you what happens 'behind the walls' and why it is important to get professional medical help," as the letter went on to say.

Geschke was the first and so far only member of the German Olympic team to test positive for the corona virus. Last Saturday's road race, for which he made the long journey to Japan after the Tour de France, took place without him. Instead, Geschke had to leave the quarters of the Federation of German Cyclists (BDR), he will not be allowed to fly to Germany before Sunday. His roommate Emanuel Buchmann was not infected.