Masks back for Aussie athletes

AUSTRALIAN athletes will face mask mandates and will be banned from spectating at other events at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later this month as team bosses move to protect the entire Games team from a Covid-19 outbreak.

While there won’t be a full Covid-19 bubble like athletes experienced at the Tokyo Olympics last year, Australian athletes will face protocols which go above and beyond those put in place by Games organisers.

Australian Commonwealth Games Chef de Mission Petria Thomas said the tough measures would be implemented to simply keep the athletes safe, fit and healthy.

While not able to reveal all the details Thomas confirmed athletes would be required to wear masks when not in their rooms or exercising outdoors.

Aussie athletes also won’t be able to cheer on competitors at other sports in a bid to limit their exposure to the public.

“Covid has played a significant factor in our planning for these games,” Thomas said on Wednesday.

“It is still having a massive effect on our community in Australia and around the world.”

The Games organising committee released a playbook featuring its Covid-19 rules.

Concerned it didn’t go far enough to protect athletes Thomas said Australian competitors would be subjected to a few extra rules.

“Our primary focus is that we can get our athletes to the starting line and they are performance ready,” Thomas said.

“The only time our team members will be able to remove their masks is when they are either by themselves, such as walking outside or in their room.

“We have to put these measures in place to minimise the transmission of Covid and other diseases as well.”

While adamant the rules won’t be as strict as those put in place during the Tokyo Olympics athletes, movements will be restricted.

Unlike Tokyo athletes won’t be forced to leave within 48 hours of their events finishing.