The small African country of Guinea has pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics citing resurgence of Covid-19 variants in the host city.
Guinean Minister of Sports Sanoussy Bantama Sow announced the pullout of five athletes of the country.
“Due to the resurgence of COVID-19 variants, the Government, concerned with preserving the health of Guinean athletes, has decided with regret to cancel Guinea’s participation in the Tokyo Olympics,” Sow was quoted as saying by insidethegames.com.
Significantly, wrestler Fatoumata Yarie Camara, judoka Mamadou Samba Bah, swimmers Fatoumata Lamarana Toure and Mamadou Tahirou Bah and sprinter Aissata Deen Conte were the five athletes from Guinea to feature in the showpiece event, beginning on Friday.
Before Guinea, North Korea in April this year had announced that it would not participate in the Tokyo Olympics due to the pandemic.