Team USA Gymnastics, Swim Olympic Training Centers Shut Down ... Over COVID-19
The U.S. Olympic Committee has shut down the Olympic Training Center in Colorado due to the coronavirus scare, TMZ Sports has learned ... shutting out American gymnasts from prepping for Tokyo.
With Los Angeles in lockdown mode and other cities clamping down fast -- we reached out to multiple Team USA Olympic training squads to find out if and how they'll continue to train athletes with the Games just months away.
A rep for USA Gymnastics tells us ... "As of Wednesday March 18, all training venues at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, including the gymnastics facility, were closed for at least the next 30 days."
"We understand the significant impact this has on our National Team athletes and their training and are working with athletes and their coaches to find safe alternative solutions for our athletes to train."
As for Team USA Swimming ... they've got big problems too -- and have shut down their pools out of an abundance of caution.
While experts say pool cleaning chemicals will kill the coronavirus, USA Swimming officials tell us there are other reasons they can't allow swimmers to continue their training.
"There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of pools and hot tubs," a rep tells us.
"But if you have several athletes swimming and training in the same lane and all coming up for air in close quarters at the wall there’s a possibility of transmission."
Team USA Volleyball has also shut down their training centers in Anaheim and Torrance -- but tell us, "Our athletes are finding ways to train at their homes."
Team USA Track tells us ... "Athletes face challenges as they train all over the country in both private and public facilities. Local health authorities have shut down many (or most) of these facilities."
Meanwhile, Tokyo 2020 organizers insist the games will continue as planned on July 24. In fact, the Olympic flame has already touched down in Japan.
