Athletes representing New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics later this year will be able to apply to be vaccinated against COVID-19 before they depart, the government said on Wednesday. 'They will have to make an application and it will depend on what sort of events they are participating in, to whether they fit the national interest criteria. 'But certainly, your expectation is that the Olympians would be eligible under the national interest criteria and a national sports team participating in a significant event would also meet those criteria.' 'It's not mandatory but we feel it's a very positive and important step in keeping our athletes safe,' she told Radio New Zealand. The New Zealand team for the last Olympics in 2016 consisted of 199 athletes, who competed in 20 sports in Rio de Janeiro and won 18 medals.

Source: Daily Mail March 24, 2021 08:42 UTC