Adam Peaty, left, of the United Kingdom, tested positive for COVID on Monday, a day after he stood with gold medalist Nicolo Martinenghi, center, of Italy, and double silver medalist Nic Fink, of the United States. The two men competed in the 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Paris Olympics in Nanterre, France.
Matthias Schrader/AP
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Matthias Schrader/AP
NANTERRE, France — British sports officials say one of their star swimmers, three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, has tested positive for COVID.
The announcement comes a day after Peaty competed in the 100-meter breaststroke final, mixing closely with other athletes in Paris, including American Nic Fink.
“A few hours after the final, (Peaty’s) symptoms worsened and he was tested for COVID early Monday morning,” Team UK said in a statement released Monday afternoon Paris time. “He tested positive at that time.”
The statement confirmed Peaty had symptoms on Sunday before competing and socializing with other athletes.
“Adam Peaty felt unwell on Sunday before the men’s 100-metre breaststroke final,” the statement said.
NPR attempted to contact Team GB to ask why Peaty wasn’t tested sooner or quarantined, but did not receive a response.
Peaty didn’t break any Olympic COVID rules, because there aren’t any.
Nicolo Martinenghi, center, of Italy, is congratulated by Adam Peaty, of Britain, right, and Nic Fink, of the United States, left, after winning the men’s 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics on Sunday.
Petr David Josek/AP
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Petr David Josek/AP
There are no specific COVID health protocols for the Paris Summer Olympics.
It was a break from the strict restrictions implemented at Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
On the medal podium on Sunday evening, Peaty hugged Italian gold medalist Martinenghi and Fink, who won silver in the event.
Peaty also sat near other athletes at the post-race press conference, where he spoke about pre-race concerns:
“We’ve been dealt some hands, especially the last couple of days, that affected me one hundred percent (unintelligible),” he said. “That’s absolutely not an excuse.”
USA Swimming spokesman Jake Gosser said US sports officials and doctors are monitoring the situation.
“We are working with the team doctors to take the necessary precautions,” Gosser said.
He could not confirm whether Fink, who is not in quarantine, had been tested for COVID.
Meanwhile, British sports officials said they hoped Peaty would recover in time to be able to take part in other events later in the week.
“The situation is being handled appropriately,” the British delegation statement said, “with all normal precautions being taken to ensure the health of the entire (British) delegation”.
