Another Canadian bobsledder tests positive for COVID-19, 14 team members now affected

SIGULDA, Latvia –

Another member of Canada’s bobsled team has tested positive for COVID-19.

That brings the total up to 11 athletes and three staff members affected by the outbreak.

A spokesman for Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton confirmed the new positive case on Thursday.

All 14 of the affected bobsled team members are in quarantine in Latvia.

No members of Canada’s skeleton team have tested positive for the virus.

Canada’s bobsled team had spent the holiday break in Latvia to minimize travel ahead of the upcoming World Cup event in Sigulda.

Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton said it will not release any further information about the people affected to respect their privacy.

Qualification for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be based on the world rankings as of Jan. 16. ]

Countries qualify sleds, and the national sports organizations then select what athletes will participate at the Games.

The World Cup event in Latvia is a double two-man race, with two more weekends of full competition scheduled in Winterberg, Germany on Jan. 8 and 9 and then in St. Moritz, Switzerland on Jan. 15 and 16.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2021.