Berlin. Two Olympians needed a wheelchair after the competition. They competed despite Corona or long-term effects. One expert: “Highly risky.”
It happens in front of millions of people watching on TV. The silver medalist in the Olympic long jump competition, Malaika Mihambo, talks to her coach and family. The 30-year-old cries and waves her hand. What she says is clear from her lips: I can’t breathe. Later, Mihambo is carried by paramedics to a wheelchair taken sitting out of the Olympic Stadium in Paris.
The athlete later explained the reason for her distress in a press conference. She had been in the hospital for about eight weeks competition a corona infection and is suffering from the long-term effects. “It was okay during the competition, but during the lap of honor I had trouble breathing. That was just too much. I then asked for help,” she says. Given the circumstances, the 2019 and 2022 world champion, who started as the gold favorite, is very satisfied with her performance.
Also interesting
Mihambo is not the only athlete to take part in the Olympics after or with a corona infection. And she is not the only one who Problems The same thing happened to US sprinter Noah Lyles. He too was sitting in a wheelchair as he was driven out of the stadium. World champion and gold favorite Lyles had just won the bronze medal in the 200 meters, despite an infection.
Malaika Mihambo from Germany is taken out of the stadium by paramedics after the long jump final. © DPA Images | KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV
Malaika Mihambo: Late effects can last for months
For Prof. Wilhelm Bloch, circulatory researcher and sports physician at the German Sport University in Cologne, the cases of Mihambo and Lyles are not necessarily comparable. “From a medical point of view, however, neither of them should have started in the competitions,” he says. In this respect, they are not good Role models “even though I can understand that athletes don’t want to miss the Olympics,” said Bloch.
In the case of Malaika Mihambo, Bloch assumes that the athlete will take a Trainingspause “A lot of this is speculation, of course, but I think that the long jumper suffered a consequence of the corona infection that affects many people. According to a recent study, around six percent of competitive athletes experience a substantial reduction in performance over a longer period of time after Covid-19.”
Bloch specifically means a change in the immune system caused by the infection. Lung tissue. This hinders the transport of oxygen. He knows these problems from other athletes after Covid-19. It can take weeks or months to overcome these corona consequences. Sometimes this also requires special lung training.
Also interesting
“I assume that Malaika Mihambo has been under strain in training recently. The high stress of the competition has made this even worse,” said Bloch. Noah Lyle’s body, on the other hand, is exhausted from the acute infection. effort of the sprint. “The images of him being driven out of there were dramatic,” says Bloch.
Corona: Clear rules for athletes in case of acute infection
According to the sports doctor, the Olympic statutes do not state that people after or with Covid-19 not allowed to take part. “Nevertheless, the US sprinter at least not only endangered himself, but also others when he started.” In the worst case scenario, extreme stress could lead to sudden cardiac death despite an infection, says Bloch. But even without a life-threatening situation, Lyles’ behavior is highly risky. “It can lead to myocarditis, arrhythmias or even long-term damage.”
US-Sprinter Noah Lyles nach dem 200-Meter-Finale. Er holte trotz Covid-19 Bronze.
© Xinhua / eyevine / laif | Li Ming Xinhua / eyevine / laif
In the event of an infection, whether with corona or flu, according to Bloch, there are clear rulesthat apply to both competitive and amateur athletes: no strain, take a break from training and competition, and not just until the symptoms have gone away. “You should actually wait ten days before you start training properly again,” says the expert.
Sport despite long-term effects – it threatens to become chronic
Bloch advises athletes with long-term problems after Covid-19 to control the load, take breaks, and observe the reactions to exercise and training. “You have to increase the training gradually and definitely check your body.” If you just carry on like this, you risk the problems chronic become.
Despite all the drama, the images of exhausted athletes in wheelchairs also have a positive aspect for Wilhelm Bloch: They draw attention to a problem that many people have now repressed. “There are a very large number of people whose performance is limited by Corona.” 300,000 to 400,000 people in Germany alone are incapacitated. Wilhelm Bloch: “The danger posed by the virus is not over yet.”
