Australian Olympic team doctor David Hughes said the COVID risk was being manged by the Basketball Australia’s chief medical officer Peter Harcourt,who is in Las Vegas with the men’s and women’s teams.

“It is not that you assume that because a person has tested positive after a match that suddenly,that means everyone is going to test positive in that match,” he said in a press briefing in Tokyo on Friday. “We haven’t seen that in sporting events over the last 18 months.″⁣

The involvement of women’s basketball star Liz Cambage in Tokyo may also be in doubt after reported concerns about her fitness and conduct during the team’ training camp.

It has been reported that Cambage broke team protocols by going out in Las Vegas and was allegedly involved in a physical and verbal altercation during a match against Nigeria.

Australia’s chef de mission Ian Chesterman said he was waiting a report from Basketball Australia. “We will await that report before we make any further comment about it,” said.

Chesterman said de Minaur was shattered by the abrupt end to his Olympic campaign just days before he was due to travel to board a plane to Tokyo.

“We have been advised that Alex de Minaur has had a positive test,at his mandatory 96-hour,and 72-hour pre-departure tests,” Chesterman said.

“As a consequence,sadly,Alex will be unable to join the Australian team here in Tokyo. We’re very disappointed for Alex,he’s said that he’s shattered[at] not being able to come.”

Under COVID-19 protocols adopted by Tokyo organisers to protect against an Olympic village outbreak,athletes are screened daily for the virus with a rapid antigen test.

If they return a positive screen,they must immediate isolate and withdraw from competition. If a PCR test confirms their positive status,they are placed into quarantine and withdrawn from the Games.

To travel to Tokyo,athletes must show they are COVID-free through two separate tests within four days of arriving.