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Double quarantine fears for Aussie athletes

Kyle Chalmers is among athletes who may face double quarantine.

Kyle Chalmers is among athletes who may face double quarantine. Photo: Getty

Athletes from South Australia may face a double quarantine period on their return from the Tokyo Games, the Australian Olympic Committee has confirmed.

South Australia entry rules insist on 14 days quarantine for people coming into the state from NSW and Victoria and may add Queensland to the list after that state’s COVID-19 outbreak.

That could mean 31 South Australian-based athletes – which includes the likes of swimmers Madi Wilson and Kyle Chalmers and cyclists Matt Glaetzer and Rohan Dennis – could be forced to spend four weeks in quarantine after arriving from Japan.

“Our chief executive (Matt Carroll) is working through with authorities on the matter of avoiding double quarantine,” Australia’s chef de mission Ian Chesterman said on Friday.

“That would be a very difficult thing for the athletes.”

“We’re coming out of here fully vaccinated and we’ve been tested every day.

“We’re going into 14 days quarantine and looking for a clear passage back into each home state.

“We should do 14 days to give everyone comfort and recognise that we are a very clean cohort.

“Getting these athletes back home after a gruelling campaign would be very good for them to go back to loved ones.

“They’ve been separated for some time and hopefully we can get to that position.”

Mr Chesterman said some members of the Kookaburras hockey team were able to get direct flights to Perth and their home state of Western Australia.

But many members of Australia’s Games squad have had to return to places other than their home state.

Hundreds of athletes returning from Tokyo have been quarantining for the mandatory two weeks in Sydney hotels and the Howard Springs camp in the Northern Territory.

-AAP

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