File photo: VCG

Three Chinese national fencing athletes have tested positive for the novel coronavirus after participating in a fencing event earlier this month in Hungary. The team is the first Chinese national team to confirm players have been infected with the coronavirus.

"Three out of 13 fencing athletes tested positive after returning, with the other 10 now in quarantine in Beijing," the Chinese Fencing Association said in a statement on Friday. 

The Chinese team was originally scheduled to participate in the women's epee World Cup event from March 22 to 24 in Budapest, following a Grand Prix event in the same city from March 6 to 8. But after the International Fencing Federationcanceled all scheduled events on March 12, the team returned to China on March 16.

Liu Dongsen, a professor with the College of Sports Medicines and Rehabilitation under the Beijing Sport University, said athletes' strong immune systems are prone to compromise following intense physical activity.  

"The intense physical activity during training and competing at a professional level creates a strain on the body, which often leads to weight loss which then results in a temporary immune system decline," Dr Liu told the Global Times on Friday. 

"The first impact will be on the respiratory system. That's why athletes easily catch colds."

Dr Liu's comments echo those of Dr Eva Carneiro, the former team medic of English football club Chelsea, who told British media Sportsmail that professional players might be more easily infected as they are "regularly immunosuppressed." 

Liu also noted that current athlete-related cases need to be further analyzed as there is not enough evidence to show that every coronavirus-positive athlete has been infected for this reason. 

Three South Korean fencers also tested positive for the new coronavirus following their return home from the same event in Hungary, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday.

The Chinese women's national fencing team, who won the women's team epee event at the 2019 World Fencing Championships in Budapest, was considered a favorite for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

The coronavirus spread has dimmed the prospects of world sports, as many globally renowned sports stars have been infected, including NBA megastar Kevin Durant. 

Liu called for all public sporting events to be suspended as mass gatherings pose huge risk for the spread of the virus. 

"Outdoor games like football mean massive flows of people, which pose risks of cross-infection. For indoor games, audiences sit close to competing athletes, which is also risky," Liu noted.  

Plenty of sporting events - though not all - have been postponed or canceled worldwide, including the European Championship football tournament and several Olympic qualifiers. 

Though the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government have both vowed the Tokyo Olympics, scheduled for July 24 to August 9, will go ahead, the number of athletes calling for postponement is surging as they are unable to prepare adequately. 

Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, said if the athletes cannot prepare adequately, the excitement of the games will be dimmed.

"The excitement of the Olympics will be impaired as many athletes cannot maintain their normal training schedules due to the coronavirus spread," Wang told the Global Times.

"For those who have not qualified for the Olympics, the virus might also kill their chances of an Olympic appearance."