Mihambo, who was infected with the virus in June, had to be taken out of the Stade de France in a wheelchair a few weeks ago after winning silver due to shortness of breath, and now has to end her season early. 100-meter Olympic champion Noah Lyles was infected on site. Weakened by the infection, he won bronze in the 200 meters, but then had to resort to a wheelchair due to exhaustion and then forego his relay starts.
More than 40 athletes were officially infected with the virus at the Summer Games in Paris, but the number of unreported cases is likely to have been significantly higher. Since the Games and Paralympics in Tokyo 2021 and most recently in Beijing were largely held without spectators due to the pandemic, the Para athletes are now expected to get back into a real competitive mood, as was the case a few weeks ago – with all the trimmings.
Wheelchair basketball national coach Michael Engel is nevertheless cautious. The men’s national team’s preparation for the highlight in the French capital was overshadowed by positive Covid-19 test results. “We were in Italy for three weeks and had several cases there – fortunately with very, very mild courses. That means we were able to reintegrate the temporarily absent players relatively quickly,” said Engel. “But this is an issue that we have to handle carefully.”
The coach relies primarily on the personal responsibility of his protégés. “Every athlete knows how to assess themselves. That means: If I have any symptoms, then I can test myself,” said Engel, adding: “We’re not going in blindly, but we have to make sure that we do our things carefully. But there are certain things that you can’t control. And in the end, you also need a bit of luck to stay healthy.”
Not every preparation goes according to plan
Hunter Woodhall from the USA was hit just two weeks before the Paralympics. When his wife Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump at the Olympics, the couple attracted the attention of many spectators when they hugged each other lovingly and celebrated together after the decision. “I knew it was a risk when so many people were celebrating and traveling,” Woodhall wrote on social media after his infection. “That’s no excuse, I’ll get over it and be ready for the Paralympics.” The sprinter has since returned to Paris. But at times, according to Woodhall, who has had both legs amputated, there were big question marks over his starts.
The short shot put world champion Niko Kappel from VfB Stuttgart is a little more relaxed about the situation. “At the moment I have no worries about that,” said the 29-year-old. “Of course I’m being careful and not messing around anymore, but I’m not worried about that.”
Without a mask at the opening ceremony
The DBS has not issued any instructions on how the athletes of the German delegation should behave. “But of course we will take protective masks with us, and we will of course take appropriate disinfectants with us. But we will not all be wearing masks at the opening ceremony on the Champs Élysées,” said Beucher. “Our doctors also say that the basic requirement is normal hygiene measures.”
Nevertheless, caution is particularly advised for athletes with paraplegia at or above chest level or with muscle diseases due to the frequently occurring weakened respiratory muscles, explains senior physician Anja Hirschmüller. “If there are bacteria or viruses in the air we breathe, they can more easily settle in the lungs and cause pneumonia,” says Hirschmüller. In addition, athletes with certain disabilities may also have a weakened immune system due to their disability or the medication they are taking.
