By Olatorera Dickson-Amusa with Agency Report
Withdrawing at the very last minute, Guinea has decided not to send its team of five athletes to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which are due to open tomorrow.
Guinean Minister of Sports Sanoussy Bantama Sow announced that the country will not be participating due to a “resurgence of COVID-19 variants”.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse, Sow explained the decision in a letter addressed to the President of Guinea’s National Olympic and Sports Committee, Nabi Camara.
“Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 variants, the Government, concerned with preserving the health of Guinean athletes, has decided with regret to cancel Guinea’s participation in the Tokyo Olympics,” Sow wrote.
Wrestler Fatoumata Yarie Camara, judoka Mamadou Samba Bah, swimmers Fatoumata Lamarana Toure and Mamadou Tahirou Bah and sprinter Aissata Deen Conte were due to compete for Guinea at Tokyo 2020.
Guinea has competed in 11 Olympics since making its debut at Mexico City 1968, although the country has never won a medal.
It has also been reported, however, that the decision to withdraw the team is to be down to financial restrictions, with a source close to the Government claiming “the Ministry cannot pay”.
Meanwhile, North Korea had announced earlier in April that it would not attend Tokyo 2020, citing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coronavirus has dominated the build-up to the Games with the number of positive cases linked to the Olympics since July 1 climbing to 82.
Chilean taekwondo athlete Fernanda Aguirre, Dutch skateboarder Candy Jacobs and Czech table tennis player Pavel Širuček have been ruled out of the Games after contracting coronavirus.
Yesterday, Tokyo reported 1,832 new COVID-19 cases, the seventh time this month that the number has exceeded 1,000.
