Coronavirus: Tokyo 2020 hope Sarah Lee and cycling teammates free of infection; boxer Rex Tso also cleared
- Test results show negative as athletes continue to prepare for Tokyo Olympics or fight for qualification
- Sports Institute to pay for tests if athletes return to Hong Kong on same flight with confirmed virus cases
Hong Kong sport let out a sigh of relief on Thursday after four athletes were found to be negative to coronavirus, including 2020 Olympic medal hopeful Sarah Lee Wai-sze.
Cyclist Lee and fellow teammates Jessica Lee Hoi-yan and Law Tsz-chun and boxer Rex Tso Sing-yu were among those who returned to Hong Kong on a plane that carried passengers who were later found to be confirmed cases of the deadly virus.
Although the athletes were not requested by authorities to go through the virus test, the Sports Institute paid for the test through a private hospital with results released on Thursday. All samples were negative, according to a spokesman.
Gymnasts Shek Wai-hung and Ng Kiu-chung will also go through the test on Friday after their flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong this week also carried a passenger who was later confirmed with the virus.
The Sports Institute will pay for the test if any athletes on their elite programme return to Hong Kong on the same flight that has carried coronavirus-confirmed passengers, according to the spokesman.