News Sports Other Rio Olympics marathoner OP Jaisha, who accused officials of apathy, tested positive for H1N1 virus

Rio Olympics marathoner OP Jaisha, who accused officials of apathy, tested positive for H1N1 virus

Marathon runner OP Jaisha tested positive for H1N1 virus aka swine flu on Thursday after returning from Rio last week. Jaisha is the second Indian athlete that to test positive for the virus. Before this,

Rio Olympics marathoner OP Jaisha Image Source : PTIRio Olympics marathoner OP Jaisha

Marathon runner OP Jaisha tested positive for H1N1 virus aka swine flu on Thursday after returning from Rio last week.

Jaisha is the second Indian athlete that to test positive for the virus. Before this, Sudha Singh was confirmed to be carrying the type A influenza strain on Wednesday.

Both the runners were trained together before going to Rio.

According to the Indian Express, Jaisha underwent tests at the Bengaluru's state-run Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases (RGICD) on Wednesday.

“Although her symptoms were mild, we had started her on Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug for treatment of H1N1. We had asked her to get admitted but she refused,” told RGICD Director Shashidhar Buggi.

Earlier, Jaisha, who finished 89th in the marathon event, alleged that no water or energy drinks were made available by the Indian officials during her event, leaving her completely exhausted at the end of the race. She had fainted after crossing the finishing line.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), however, asserted that the athlete herself refused any such arrangement when approached a day before the event.

"The Minister of State, Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Vijay Goel has constituted a two-member Committee consisting of Shri Onkar Kedia, Joint Secretary (Sports) and Shri Vivek Narayan, Director (Sports) to enquire into the allegations of O P Jaisha," a press release from ministry said.

“It was very hot there. The competition was at 9am, I ran in scorching heat. There was no water for us, neither recovery drinks nor food. Only once in 8kms did we get water (from the Rio organisers) which did not help at all. All the countries had their stalls at every 2kms but our country’s stall was empty,” OP Jaisha told Times of India.