Isolation in Oberhof: Latypov will miss KM biathlon stage due to positive coronavirus test

Asymptomatic coronavirus

After a break for the New Year holidays, the Biathlon World Cup continues with a stage in Oberhof, Germany.

Due to the worsening epidemiological situation in the world, the International Biathlon Federation (IBU) has significantly tightened the COVID-19 protocols for its January events.

In particular, all competitors must pass PCR tests to enter the bubble and additional analysis (PCR and antigen) after adaptation.

The organization sent its own laboratory to Germany to ensure a smooth testing procedure.

The Russian national team drove to Oberhof a few days ago, having successfully passed all the necessary tests.

However, on Thursday morning it became known that the next PCR test of Eduard Latypov turned out to be positive.

He was promptly isolated from the team.

The news came as a big surprise for the national team.

As the coach of the Russian national team, Sergei Bashkirov, said, on the eve of the biathlete, who ranks fifth in the overall standings of the World Cup, he took part in training on an equal basis with everyone and did not experience health problems.

“We are surprised that Edward passed a positive test.

Despite the fact that there are no symptoms.

This is probably all that can be said about this situation.

Yesterday Eduard also did not have any symptoms, "Match TV quotes Bashkirov.

The senior coach of the Russian men's national biathlon team, Yuri Kaminsky, in turn, said that the national team is negotiating with the IBU and the healthcare organization to pass an additional test for coronavirus by Latypov.

“Immediately after receiving the results, two antigen tests were done.

They were negative.

We immediately began to correspond with the local health organization and the IBU so that Edward would be allowed to retake the test.

There were such cases.

We are now communicating.

We took measures right away: he lives in a separate room, there were no problems isolating him.

Now we are doing everything possible to pass the test as soon as possible.

I am inclined to believe that this was a false positive result, ”said the specialist.

At the same time, the participation of the entire Russian national team in the races planned in Oberhof turned out to be in question.

According to the IBU, the decision to quarantine the national team is made by the German health authorities.

“Everything that happens to a positively tested person and his contacts is in the hands of the authorities.

Local health authorities are tracing contacts and a quarantine decision has yet to be made.

All 550 PCR entrance tests that team members (including athletes, coaches, officials and technicians) had to pass to get into the competition bubble were negative, "Match TV quoted the IBU as an official response to the inquiry.

Since the final decision on the Russian national team was not made, on Thursday the team held a training session as usual.

Only Latypov, isolated from the rest, was absent from it.

Everyone was eagerly awaiting the results of the athlete's repeated PCR test, which he was still allowed to pass.

There is still time before the Olympics

However, the next analysis turned out to be positive again.

Thus, Edurad will definitely miss the race in Oberhof and, most likely, in Ruhpolding.

The participation of the Russian in the last stage of the World Cup in Antholz before the Olympics is questionable. 

According to commentator Dmitry Guberniev, since the biathlete has no symptoms of coronavirus, it will not affect the preparation for the Games in Beijing.

“In sports they say that there must be great talent and it is very important to get sick on time.

It's good that this happened now, and not during the Olympics.

There will be time to get better.

I am sure that he is still one of the main contenders for medals in Beijing, despite his January adventures, "the journalist said in an interview with the Championship.

Fortunately, while the rest of the team will not be quarantined, as happened in the Netherlands with Russian skaters who came to the European Championship.

As Kaminsky explained, Latypov lived in a single room and no one had close contact with him.

“Only those with whom the sick person talked for more than 15 minutes are closed,” the specialist emphasized.

However, quarantine is still possible.

According to Guberniev, the entire Russian team has passed the extraordinary tests and now much depends on them.

"If there is one more positive analysis, the whole team can be closed and not let out at the start ... These are the times ... Health to everyone!"

- the commentator wrote on his Telegram channel.

According to the two-time Olympic champion Dmitry Vasiliev, the absence of Latypov will not greatly affect the performance of the national team in Oberhof.

Eduard has definitely qualified for the Olympics, and now other athletes have the opportunity to prove themselves.

“We have strong guys in the national team.

The same Sasha Loginov, there are young athletes.

Plus (Anton) Babikov and (Maxim) Tsvetkov drove up.

You look, maybe they will have the opportunity to prove themselves.

So, again, nothing bad will happen if Latypov does not perform at this stage of the World Cup.

There will be no tragedy.

Another thing is that everything is normal with his health, so that Eduard does not get seriously ill with coronavirus, this is a much more important thing.

And in all other respects I do not see any big problems, ”Vasiliev said.

Capricious nature 

It should be noted that the very conduct of the competition in Oberhof remained in question until the last day.

Until Wednesday, January 5, the temperature was above zero and it rained periodically, so the organizers decided in advance to postpone the men's sprint from the 6th to the 7th.

It was planned to restore the track at the expense of the accumulated snow.

As the head of the organizing committee of the stage, Thomas Grellmann, promised, nothing was supposed to interfere with the competition.

“We were able to restore the track at night for training, and we will also work on it ahead of the starts.

There is no need to worry about artificial snow, because there is enough of it in the warehouse, ”said Grellmann.

The weather conditions also influenced training.

On Tuesday, the biathletes were unable to enter the stadium because of the rain and practiced in the ski tunnel.

However, in the afternoon on Wednesday and Thursday, the thermometer finally dropped below zero, and snow fell.

Therefore, no one doubted that everything would be ready for the sprint. 

The head of the service brigade of the Russian national team, Alexander Pechersky, noted a significant change in the quality of the track the day before the races.

In his opinion, the organizers carried out a colossal work, and the snow that fell the day before also helped.

“The word“ striking ”probably won't work here.

It is easier to evaluate on a scale: if yesterday the state of the track was between a two with a plus and a three with a minus, now it is a solid four with a plus.

A colossal work has been done, besides, the snow that fell yesterday helped.

All irregularities, roughness and stones have been removed.

The track became homogeneous, smooth sliding at all parts of the distance.

The organizers squeezed the maximum out of what they could as a whole.

Many thanks to them, ”said the specialist.