Hungary's Olympic champion Liu Shaoang tests positive for COVID-19

BUDAPEST -- Hungary's short track speed skating Olympic champion Liu Shaoang has tested positive for COVID-19, the Hungarian Skating Federation announced here on Monday.

"Liu Shaoang's Covid test came back positive," the federation said in a statement, adding that the medical staff of the Hungarian Olympic team was operating according to the international protocol.

Liu Shaoang continues his training to prepare for the Olympics as he has no symptoms and can continue working under constant supervision, according to the federation.

A negative test result produced for five consecutive days is the condition required for leaving for Beijing.

Liu tested positive despite the fact that members of the national team have been living in a bubble for days when they are isolated in a hotel and cannot see their families.

In addition to Shaoang, the relay members also include Olympic champion Liu Shaolin Sandor, American-born Olympic silver medalist John Henry Krueger, and 19-year-old Bence Nogradi and 26-year-old Alex Varnyu with the latter two to make their Olympic debuts.

Liu Shaolin and Shaoang, who grabbed Hungary's first Winter Olympic gold medal four years ago in PyeongChang, are eager to defend their title in Beijing, they told Xinhua earlier in January in an exclusive interview.

The Liu brothers were born in Budapest - Shaolin in 1995 and Shaoang in 1998, to a Chinese father and Hungarian mother. Both boys learned Chinese and still speak it to this day, and they also celebrate Chinese New Year with family each year.