Weightlifting team pulled from Tokyo Olympics

Samoa’s weightlifting team will not compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games next month, the Samoa Weightlifting Federation and the Samoa Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee have announced.
The announcement by the S.W.F. and the S.A.S.N.O.C. late Thursday follows media reports that the caretaker Government had banned Samoan athletes from competing at the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Radio New Zealand report also claimed Samoa's national team is yet to be officially notified of their withdrawal and quoted caretaker Minister of Communications, Afamasaga Rico Tupa'i as saying the Cabinet decided to withdraw the national team due to reports of Japan's 500 daily infection rate.
The caretaker Minister reportedly said Japan's infection rate was too high a risk for Samoan athletes who qualified.
Samoa had already selected athletes from several sports including weightlifting, boxing, sailing and athletics with the Manu Samoa rugby sevens team falling short of qualification last week.
S.A.S.N.O.C. President Patrick Fepulea'i released a statement late Thursday confirming the announcement by Samoa’s caretaker Government, though clarifying that only the weightlifting team will be withdrawn from the games next month.
“I wish on behalf of S.A.S.N.O.C. to clarify this: Samoa has 11 athletes who have qualified as of right to compete at the Olympic Games,” reads the statement.
“Of these three are based in Samoa (weightlifting team), two are based in Australia (boxing team), four are based in New Zealand (sailing and canoeing team), one in the US (athletics) and one already in Japan (judo).
“In addition are the coaches and the management team that would accompany these athletes.
“The team most affected by the Government decision is the weightlifting team based in Samoa.
“We fully understand the logic behind the Government decision, especially the need to protect Samoa from the virus, especially the new mutation now spreading around the world. “We only have to look to Fiji to see the impact of the virus and the need to protect our borders.
“In respect of the Government decision, S.A.S.N.O.C. and the Samoa Weightlifting Federation are withdrawing the weightlifting team from going to the Olympic Games.”
According to Mr Fepulea'i, the country will be represented by its other athletes who are residents overseas.
“When the games are over, they will be heading back to their overseas bases. None will be returning to Samoa.
“At the same time, we are working closely with Oceania National Olympic Team (O.N.O.C.) and the Japanese Organising Committee to ensure that the health protocols in place are followed to ensure the safety of our athletes as well as provide remote support to our Team."
