Belgian skeleton rider Kim Meylemans has undergone a real odyssey upon her arrival in China to participate in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in what should have been a dream and has become for her a real nightmare.
The Meylemans episode dates back to early January, when the Belgian athlete tested positive for coronavirus. Despite being negative in a dozen tests prior to flying to China, the surprise for Meylemans was that he tested positive upon arrival in China.
When it seemed that Meylemans would be transferred to the Olympic Village and serve the isolation there, the Chinese authorities took the athlete to an even more remote area to comply with the isolation. A fact that has visibly diminished Meylemans, who in a dramatic video he posted on his Instagram account confessed: “I ask that you give me some time to see what my next steps are going to be. I’m not sure I can manage this for 14 days and how I can compete in the Games while in isolation.”
Meylemans’ complaint had an effect on the international community and shortly after she was transferred to the Olympic Village to serve the periods of isolation there. However, it once again highlights the confusion generated by China’s strict measures to avoid possible contagion by COVID-19 before the Winter Olympics, which start this Friday in Beijing with the opening ceremony, although competitions such as curling have already they are running.