- Title: New Zealand 'oblivious' to COVID scare in Olympic village
- Date: 19th July 2021
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JULY 19, 2021) (REUTERS) NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM ARRIVING AND BEING SEATED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH, TOM SERMANNI, SAYING: "To be honest, we're really pretty obliv.... we're really kind of oblivious to that, to be honest, Chris (name of reporter). We sort of follow our doctor who is extremely strict. We follow strict protocols, you know, and do everything we can to make sure that we stay safe and healthy and hopefully, by doing that we'll be ok. So, I don't think... certainly I can only speak for myself but I don't find that a distraction because we're just focusing on doing what we need to do." NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SOCCER COACH, TOM SERMANNI, SAYING: "The world-wide spread of our players has made it very difficult for us to come together and probably, I think, our last player arrived around the 12th or 13th of July. That's the first time we've had our whole squad together in 16 months, so it's been terrific for everyone to catch up again, to get here, to get working together." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM AT NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2021 02:51
- Keywords: Japan New Zealand Olympics Tokyo 2020 coronavirus football team reunited
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Olympics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001EMIA8NB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The New Zealand women's soccer team is focused on Olympic victory and is "oblivious" to COVID-19 scares said coach Tom Sermanni on Monday (July 19) despite reports of positive cases among competitors in the athletes' village in Tokyo.
Games officials on Sunday (July 18) reported the first case of a competitor testing positive for COVID-19 in the athletes' village where 11,000 athletes are expected stay during the Games.
"We're really kind of oblivious to that," said Sermanni, when asked about the reports at a news conference in Tokyo.
"We sort of follow our doctor who is extremely strict. We follow strict protocols, you know, and do everything we can to make sure that we stay safe and healthy and hopefully, by doing that we'll be ok."
Since July 2, Tokyo 2020 organisers have reported 58 positive cases among athletes, officials and journalists.
Any major outbreak in the village could wreak havoc on competitions because those either infected or isolating would not be able to compete.
Sermanni said New Zealand was "just focusing on doing what we need to do" for the games, with the team reuniting after 16 months apart.
New Zealand are set to face world champions United States, Australia and Sweden in Group G at the Tokyo Games.
Team captain Ali Riley said New Zealand was ready to put the 'underdog' tag to rest and saw neighbours Australia as a "fun challenge" in their first game.
"We are here to perform the best we can on these days and on those days I think any team can win," said Riley.
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