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Establishment Media Targets American Olympian for Not Wearing a Mask, Even Though He Followed Rules

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An American Olympic swimmer was lambasted by the establishment media for not wearing a mask after a race, even though the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said he hadn’t violated coronavirus protocols.

Michael Andrew chose not to wear a mask on Friday while being interviewed in the mixed zone, an area for journalists to speak with athletes after events, The Associated Press reported.

“No reason. I mean, I’ll throw it on when I’m done here. But, just to speak, it’s difficult,” Andrew said when asked why he wasn’t wearing the mask he carried in his hands, according to Yahoo Sports.

“For me, it’s pretty hard to breathe in after kind of sacrificing my body in the water. … So I feel like my health is a little more tied to being able to breathe than protecting what’s coming out of my mouth.”

He added that he respected the coronavirus protocols and that all athletes have been “under quarantine and under the same testing protocols.”

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“So there’s a level of safety I’m comfortable with. When we’re racing, it’s important to get my oxygen.”

Andrew is the first American to decline to wear a mask in the mixed zone, but other Olympic athletes have done so as well, Yahoo reported.

When USA Today asked the USOPC for comment, the committee said it was “reviewing this matter with the National Governing Body and will take action as needed.”

Do you think Andrew should wear a mask?

Hours later, the USOPC issued a statement citing the Tokyo Olympic playbook of coronavirus protocols and said athletes are allowed to remove their masks for interviews.

“Michael has been reminded of the Games policy and established COVID mitigation protocols, and has acknowledged the importance of following all guidelines intended to keep athletes and the community safe,” the statement said.

Andrew has already come under scrutiny for refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

“My reason behind it is, for one, it was kind of a last moment. I didn’t want to put anything in my body that I didn’t know how I would potentially react to,” Andrew said at an Olympic training camp earlier this month.

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“As an athlete on the elite level, everything we do is very calculated and understood. For me, in the training cycle, especially leading up to trials, I didn’t want to risk any days out. There were periods where you take a vaccine, you have to deal with some days off.”

Andrew said he contracted COVID-19 months ago and has no plans to be vaccinated in the future.

The 22-year-old swimmer finished fifth in the 200-meter individual medley and will return to the pool on Friday night to compete in the 50-meter freestyle preliminaries.

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Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. A University of Oregon graduate, Erin has conducted research in data journalism and contributed to various publications as a writer and editor.
Erin Coates was an editor for The Western Journal for over two years before becoming a news writer. She grew up in San Diego, California, proceeding to attend the University of Oregon and graduate with honors holding a degree in journalism. During her time in Oregon, Erin was an associate editor for Ethos Magazine and a freelance writer for Eugene Magazine. She has conducted research in data journalism, which has been published in the book “Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future.” Erin is an avid runner with a heart for encouraging young girls and has served as a coach for the organization Girls on the Run. As a writer and editor, Erin strives to promote social dialogue and tell the story of those around her.
Birthplace
Tucson, Arizona
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated with Honors
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, University of Oregon
Books Written
Contributor for Data Journalism: Past, Present and Future
Location
Prescott, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, French
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Health, Entertainment, Faith




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