Olympics: Guinea reverses decision to pull out of Tokyo Games over COVID fears

July 23, 2021 Police officers outside the stadium before the opening ceremony REUTERS

Guinea's five athletes will participate in the Tokyo Olympics after all, a statement from the West African nation's sport ministry said on Thursday, reversing the previous day's decision to suspend its participation in the Games citing the pandemic.

On Wednesday, Sports Minister Sanoussy Bantama Sow said in a letter to the country's National Olympic Committee that the government had cancelled Guinea's participation to "preserve the health of its athletes" due to a surge in COVID-19 variants.