The Lioness team members that are currently being held in quarantine are expected to join their colleagues in Karume Camp anytime from tomorrow.

This is according to the press statement released by the team Kenya management on Thursday evening. It’s confirmed that the team of six players and their team manager Camilyne Oyuayo have been held back in Tokyo after one of the passengers on their Qatar Airways flight to Tokyo from Doha tested positive for Covid-19.

The six players includes Sheila Chanjira, Diana Awino, Vivian Akumu, Leah Wambui, Judith Auma and Stella Nelima.

However there is no any kenyan player and official in Tokyo that has tested positive after being tested several times, the statement said, noting that this was “testimony to the effectiveness of the team’s bubble training camp at Kasarani and careful travel procedures.”

According to the government of Japan and International Olympics committee the procedures are to be followed keenly to avoid the massive spread of the virus and close contacts will undergo daily nasopharyngeal-PCR (NPH-PCR) testing,

“As standard procedure agreed upon by the Government of Japan and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), “following a positive result, potential close contacts are assessed and reviewed by the Results Advisory Expert Group and will be confirmed as a close contact by the Japanese health authorities,” the statement said.

Although while the members are being managed they’re allowed to continue with their preparations.
“While being managed as a close contact, the individual(s) are allowed to continue to train and compete, as Tokyo 2020 will implement additional precautionary infection prevention measures.”

The Sports, Culture and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed directed that Team Kenya’s squad to the Olympic and Paralympic Games travels in small groups to ease the testing process upon arrival in Tokyo and maintain the covid-19 protocols as well.

“The Cabinet Secretary also ensured that all players and officials travelling to the Olympic and Paralympic Games get their two doses of Covid-19 prevention vaccines ahead of travel to Tokyo,” the Team Kenya statement said.

“The team’s Chef de Mission Waithaka Kioni travelled to Tokyo well ahead of the team to ensure, among others, the smooth registration of Team Kenya.

“Kioni remains optimistic that the “Lionesses” players currently under procedural surveillance in Tokyo will be released soon to join the rest of the team in Kurume City as they have tested negative for the virus multiple times,” the statement concluded.