Chinese table tennis team arrives for Tokyo Olympic Games

President of the Chinese Table Tennis Association Liu Guoliang arrives at the Narita airport in Tokyo, Japan, July 17, 2021. Some members of Chinese Olympic delegation arrived in Tokyo on Saturday. (Xinhua/Cao Can)

TOKYO, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Four squads of the Chinese Olympic delegation, including the Chinese table tennis team, walked out of the Narita International Airport here late on Saturday, after going through strict COVID-19 testing procedures.

Liu Guoliang, president of China Table Tennis Association, who has led the all-time leading Chinese paddlers to a clean sweep in the latest three previous Olympic Games, expressed understanding of the anti-COVID measures of the organizers of Tokyo 2020.

"It takes a little longer than before, but the trip is fairly smooth and my whole team is in good condition and ready for title challenges," said the 45-year-old Liu.

He was echoed by Jia Xiuquan, head coach of the Chinese women's soccer team for the postponed Olympic Games.

"It's normal under this special situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, since epidemic-prevention is very important," Jia said. "For this purpose, the requirements are the stricter the better."

The second wave of the Chinese athletes, coaches and staff arrived in Tokyo a week ahead of the Games, with most of them going to check in the athletes' village, where the first positive COVID-19 case was reported earlier on Saturday.

According to Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto at a daily media briefing, the infected person is now isolated in a hotel, with his or her nationality not being disclosed, citing privacy concerns.

The infected person was said to have received a negative result at the airport but tested positive during the screening test in the village Friday.

A total of 15 positives cases were confirmed among Olympic-and-Paralympic-related people on Friday, bringing the number up to 45 since July 1.