Athletes return after Covid-19 quarantine
Malawi National Council of Sports on Friday fulfilled its promise to bring home before Christmas athletes and officials left in Lesotho after being diagnosed with Covid-19 during the recent Region 5 Games.
The visibly excited eight athletes and four officials came aboard a chartered plane that landed at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre after 14 days of quarantine instead of the expected 10 days.
They arrived after parents of some athletes expressed concern over their delay, arguing the development was going to spoil their Christmas plans.
“I am very happy that I am finally home and I will be able to celebrate Christmas with my family. It could have been a painful experience to remain quarantined in a foreign land during this period of festivities,” said taekwondo athlete Veronica Manda, who won gold.
On her part, Sports Council sports development manager Ruth Mzengo, who was among the group, said it was a relief to return.
She said they had a bad experience being the last team to leave the centre.
Said Mzemgo: “We were the only remaining members at the centre as all our counterparts had already been evacuated much earlier by their respective countries.
“Now, our hosts at the centre started to feel uncomfortable with our prolonged stay and seemed tired of preparing us food everyday. We are happy to be home.”
According to Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa made the travel arrangements for them.
“We thank parents, guardians and the public for being calm, patient and understanding during the time our athletes were being treated for Covid-19 in Lesotho,” he said.
At least 84 athletes and 28 officials carried the country’s flag at the Games, where they won 29 medals, including two gold.
