China’s national women’s volleyball team was struggling in their first Asian Cup set versus Iran until halftime, when they removed the masks they were wearing to protect themselves against COVID-19 and turned things around.
After losing the first set, they eventually won the match, three sets to one.
Despite the win, the episode sparked a social media furor in China, where strict zero-tolerance pandemic restrictions mandate universal mask-wearing, mandatory quarantines and constant virus testing. The widespread outrage over the athletes competing in masks reflected a growing unease with the zealotry of the approach, as viewers blamed authorities for sacrificing the players’ health for the sake of the nation’s “zero COVID-19” strategy.
Photo: AFP
China’s volleyball association later apologized on Sina Weibo, saying the players initially wore masks to protect themselves since no clear rules were given on mask-wearing. The association said it failed to remind the players to remove their masks due to lack of experience.
“We realized wearing masks was bad for athletes’ health in the second half of the first set, and the team promptly reminded the players to take off their masks and finish the rest of the game,” the association wrote.
The incident is the latest example of how “zero COVID-19” is being taken to the extreme by some in China, inciting a backlash from disgruntled citizens. Chinese President Xi Jinping has insisted on the approach throughout the pandemic, even after the rest of the world dropped most or all of their mitigation measures and now lives with the virus as an accepted if unwelcome facet of life.
While there are no definitive data that show mask-wearing interferes with breathing or athletic performance, the situation sparked heated and widespread discussion among Chinese social media users. Most found fault with the team’s coaches and managers, saying those in authority chose “zero COVID-19” over their players’ health.
“Whoever made this decision should do an intense workout for one hour wearing a mask,” one angry social media user wrote.
The hashtag tied to the controversy on Sina Weibo had generated more then 40 million reads.
Numerous scientific reports show that wearing masks during exercise does not significantly affect respiration, heart rate, oxygen levels or athletic performance, although it does alter the perceived level of effort and increases discomfort — especially at high intensity levels.
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