Team Rwanda safe at ‘sick’ Glasgow athletes’ village

RWANDA’S TEAM at the Commonwealth Games is in good health despite reported cases of diarrhoea out break at the athletes’ village in Dalmarnock area a week before the action begins. Ten cases of Games staff falling ill were reported on Wednesday but just a few hours later at around midday, a total of 12 cases had been confirmed. All those infected were working at the specially constructed residential area in Glasgow’s Dalmarnock area, where athletes are beginning to arrive. Organisers have confirmed that a “small number” of employees in the workforce suffered symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea. All the 12 staff have been sent home and told to remain there until they have been cleared and given a clean bill of health. “Despite the cases reported, all members of Team Rwanda are safe and having successful training sessions,” Rwanda’s Chef de Mission Serge Mwambali told Times Sport on phone from Dalmarnock, yesterday. At the last Commonwealth Games in Delhi, several England and Australia swimmers were affected by a stomach bug. Rwandan athletes, including the swimming, boxing, athletics and weightlifting teams, have already checked in at the village. The cycling and marathon runners are expected to depart for Glasgow later this month. Serge added, “It is very cold and athletes are getting used to the weather. We hope they will have adjusted and ready to go for honours when the games begin next week,” Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg said: “It’s a very isolated group of people, a couple of people in our workforce, and business is operating according to normal.” “In any health and safety situation we always take it very, very seriously but it’s an isolated incident, the residents at the village have not been affected and have been well briefed but we’ll continue to monitor the situation. “We work very closely with all the medical authorities; we have a great team there that’s aware of the situation and are gathering and disseminating information. “As with any global village of this sort we are reminding people to be diligent in terms of their hygiene and cleanliness.” The Rwanda team, who spent one week training at East Lothian, joined the athletes’ village this week. Athletes currently in Glasgow include; Pontien Ntawuyirushintege (5,000m), Emmanuel Ntakiyimana and Thimothee Bagina (800m), Jean Maurice Bikorimana and Olivier Nshingiro (boxing), and Theogene Hakizimana in the Para-Sport Power lifting category. The lone swimmer, Patrick Rukundo will compete in 100m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly, and 50m freestyle respectively. The rest of the group comprised of male marathon runners Dieudonne Disi, Jean Pierre Mvuyekure and Epiphanie Nyirabarame in the women’s race are expected in Glasgow on July 24. Joining them will be five 10,000 metres runners, Eric Sebahire, Syliaque Ndayikengurukiye and Felicien Muhitira (men) and Claudette Mukasakindi and Clementine Mukandanga (women). The cycling team comprised of Hadi Janvier, Gasore Hategeka, Valens Ndayisenga, Adrien Niyonshuti, Jean Bosco Nsengimana and Bonaventure Uwizeyimana, all to compete in the men’s individual time race and road race respectively will arrive in Glasgow on July 27. Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009 and competed in its first Commonwealth Games a year later in Delhi. The national athletes took part in athletics, boxing, road cycling and swimming but failed to win a medal. The competition, which attracts athletes from 70 countries, gets under way in Glasgow on July 23 and runs until August 3.

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Team Rwanda safe at ‘sick’ Glasgow athletes’ village