Guinea pulls out of Olympics, citing coronavirus

The African country of Guinea has pulled out of this year’s Olympics, keeping five athletes from competing at the Tokyo Games.

Minister of Sports Sanoussy Bantama Sow made the announcement in a letter on Wednesday addressed to the president of the Guinean Olympic committee, blaming the virus and its variants.

‘Due to the resurgence of COVID variants, the government, concerned with preserving the health of Guinean athletes, has decided with regret to cancel Guinea’s participation in the 32nd Olympics scheduled for Tokyo,’ the statement said.

Only days before the statement, Guinean Olympic committee secretary general Ben Daouda Nassoko told The Associated Press that funds had just been released for the delegation to go to Tokyo.

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