"Chinese COVID-19 Quarantine, No Longer Bearable" ... Belgian Player in Tears

IOC Explains "No Single Rooms Available at the Time"

Belgian female skeleton athlete Kim Meilemans.
Photo by Instagram capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] With the opening of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics just one day away and China emphasizing strict quarantine measures, a tearful video of Belgian skeleton athlete Kim Meilemans (26) has been released.

Meilemans tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Beijing on the 30th of last month and was quarantined at a designated hotel.

After testing negative for COVID-19 for three consecutive days, Meilemans believed that once her symptoms disappeared and she tested negative twice in a row, she could return to the Olympic Village. However, she was moved to another designated quarantine hotel.

On the 2nd, Meilemans posted a video on her SNS, shedding tears and saying, "I am no longer sure if I will be able to compete in the Olympics."

She added, "I am not sure if I can endure another 14 days in isolation or if I can handle the Olympic competition," and asked for help.

As the video became a hot topic on social media, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) explained, "Initially, we planned to move Meilemans to the Yanqing Olympic Village, but since there were no single rooms left at the village at that time, she was temporarily assigned to a hotel," and then assigned her to a single room in the Yanqing Olympic Village.

Meilemans expressed relief, saying, "At least I am inside the Olympic Village. I feel much safer."

Meanwhile, Olaf Schpal, head of the Belgian Olympic team, said, "Our main goal was to get Meilemans to the Yanqing Olympic Village as soon as possible," adding, "We are glad this goal was successfully achieved. We understand the need for COVID-19 prevention measures, but we must not forget that the athletes are the main protagonists of the Olympics."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.