Poland to vaccinate Olympic athletes, Hungary already did so in March

Poland will vaccinate its Olympic athletes and national soccer team against COVID-19, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday, as the nation eyes medals with just 100 days to go until the Tokyo Games.

Prioritising athletes for vaccination has proved controversial in some countries, especially those that have experienced problems with their vaccination programmes. This month Japan denied it was prioritising its athletes after a media report suggesting this was the case sparked public outcry.

“To ensure the comfort of our athletes who are to give us joy and hope in Tokyo,

we decided to vaccinate the entire Olympic team… and also our national soccer team, which will represent Poland during the European Championship,” Morawieck told a news conference.

The biggest country in the European Union’s eastern wing is hoping to win gold in events such as hammer throwing and volleyball at the Games, which face a deluge of challenges and growing uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world.