Outraged GOP Senator Wants COVID-Positive Pole Vaulter to Still Compete in Tokyo

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) has railed against safety protocols at the Tokyo Olympics, suggesting that the positive COVID test for a pole vault champion from his state was “almost certainly a false positive.” Sam Kendricks was expected to take part in the men’s pole vault on Friday but was benched on Thursday after the positive test. Wicker took to the Senate floor on Thursday in outrage over an injustice that he said “can still be rectified if the Olympic Committee will be fair.”

He said Kendricks was disqualified “with no consideration for the fact that his test, one among thousands of tests administered daily, may very well have been a fluke!” Wicker said Kendricks had COVID before “and should be immune,” although it was unclear if Kendricks was vaccinated before departing for Tokyo. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said all athletes are subject to the same protocols. “Everyone has to follow the rules, I’m afraid.”