IMAGE: Australian Open tournament director Craig
Tiley said two players reported to have tested positive on Tuesday were also
viral shedders. Photograph: Thomas Peter/Reuters
Two more Australian Open
players tested positive for COVID-19, an official said on Wednesday, as the
government confirmed it would send the quarantine bill for the tournament to
Tennis Australia's desk.
Victoria state police
minister Lisa Neville said two players and a non-playing Australian Open
participant comprised three new infections reported on Wednesday.
A total of 10 people
associated with the Grand Slam, including four players, have now tested
positive for the virus.
The has been confusion
over the exact numbers, with several test results later reclassified by
authorities as "viral shedding" from previous infections.
The viral shedders are not
contagious.
Neville said authorities
were "very confident" one of the two new player infections was a case
of viral shedding.
"Of the other two,
it's less clear that they're shedding. That will be worked through, and that's
one player and one support person," Neville told reporters.
Australian Open tournament
director Craig Tiley said two players reported to have tested positive on
Tuesday were also viral shedders.
More than 70 players and
their entourage are confined to their hotel rooms for 14 days and unable to
train for the Feb. 8-21 Australian Open after passengers on three charter
flights returned positive tests.
Authorities have shelled
out huge funds to fly over 1,200 players, coaches and officials on 17 charter
flights to Australia to put on the year's first Grand Slam.
Tennis Australia (TA) boss
Tiley told radio station 3AW quarantine costs may exceed A$40 million, part of
which would be covered by the state government of Victoria.
The huge expense and effort
to fly in the players during the pandemic has angered some Australians, with
thousands of the country's citizens stranded overseas due to travel
restrictions.
Neville was adamant
taxpayers would not be footing the bill for the quarantine costs, prompting TA
to row back and issue a statement saying tournament organisers would pick up
the tab.
A number of players have complained
about the hard quarantine, raising concerns they may be at a disadvantage to
better-prepared rivals.
Daniel Vallverdu, coach of three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, said organisers needed to give preferential treatment to players unable to train for two weeks.
Kazakh women's world number 28 Yulia Putintseva complained again of mice in her quarantine hotel room. Police minister Neville promised more pest control but urged players not to feed the rodents.