COVID-19 Protocols Send Home Additional Americans From Short Course World Championships
One day after USA Swimming announced that COVID-19 protocols knocked Lydia Jacoby and Katie Grimes out of the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi, the governing body revealed that three more swimmers had withdrawn from the competition for the same reason. The latest athletes to be removed from the meet were Michael Andrew, Rhyan White and Michael Brinegar.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Michael Brinegar, Michael Andrew and Rhyan White have withdrawn from their final events at the FINA World Championships (25m) in Abu Dhabi, and will return home to the U.S.,” USA Swimming said in a statement.
White was coming off a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke on Saturday, where she was joined on the podium by countrywoman Isabelle Stadden. Andrew has been off form throughout the competition and was a no-show during the preliminaries of the 50 butterfly. As for Brinegar, he was scheduled to contest the 1500 freestyle.
With the COVID-19 pandemic surging around the world, especially with the Omicron variant now present, USA Swimming has adopted stricter protocols to ensure the safety and health of the athletes competing in the United Arab Emirates.
