Two members of the staff of the French athletics team have since Monday been placed in solitary confinement in Poland, after having tested positive for Covid-19, during the European Indoor Championships which took place in Torun, from March 4 to 7.
The two French were transferred Monday evening to a hospital about forty kilometers from the competition venue and are waiting to know when they can return to France.
“We are waiting, in particular for a new test.
Morally it's very complicated, especially since nobody speaks English.
We don't really know where we are, we don't even have the impression that there are a lot of people in the wing of the hospital to which we were taken, ”one of them explains. .
Arrived in Poland on Tuesday March 2 with the entire tricolor delegation, he felt the first symptoms on Friday.
Immediately placed in solitary confinement, this Frenchman was first tested negative, as was the member of staff who shared his room.
Theoretically, this test carried out 72 hours before the planned return to France could have allowed the two men to take place on board the plane specially chartered by the French athletics federation.
As a precaution and to avoid any risk of contamination, they nevertheless carried out a new test on Sunday evening.
The result was, this time, positive.
Up to ten days of isolation
After a final Monday day in their hotel, the two French people were transferred to a medical unit.
One has fever and cough, the other is asymptomatic.
“We are in solitary confinement, each in their own room, it's quite surreal.
They put us a meal tray in front of the door, we were given shower gel and shaving cream.
We are in constant contact with the Federation, but the time seems very long to us.
We are not really told when we will be allowed to return to France.
"
"We are following the case closely, but we must comply with the rules in force in Poland," said the Federation.
A new test should be offered to the two French people on Thursday.
If the result is negative, they could be allowed to reenter.
Otherwise, their isolation could last a total of ten days.
As a precaution, the headquarters of the French Federation in Paris was closed, although most of the employees are currently teleworking or partially working.
The doctor also recommended that the athletes and coaches present in Torun take a new test.
All of them had been tested when they arrived in Poland and just before they left.
To date, only the two staff members, currently in solitary confinement in Poland, are positive for the Habs.
Like them, two other people from other delegations had to stay in Torun due to a positive Covid test.