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U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Andrew will remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 when he participates in the Tokyo Olympics set to begin this month, the Washington Post reports.
The big picture: Andrew, 22, said he didn't want to get the vaccine in the month between trials and the Olympics because he didn't know how his body would react to it.
- The USA Swimming Team can't mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for its athletes because the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee and the International Olympic Committee have not mandated them but athletes are subject to certain health protocols, per the Post.
What they're saying: "As an athlete on the elite level, everything we do is very calculated … I didn’t want to risk any days out, because there are periods where, if you take the vaccine, you have to deal with some days off," Andrew said, per the Post.
- Dave Durden, head men’s coach for the U.S. Olympic swim team, said "Regardless of vaccinations or not vaccinated, it’s what our attitudes and actions are," per the Post.
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