Earlier this week, New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestling Dontaku event was affected by two wrestlers testing positive for COVID-19. Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and El Desperado were among the wrestlers who were removed from the card for night two of the event.
NJPW announced today that seven additional cases of COVID-19 have been found on the roster in the aftermath of the event:
As a result of PCR testing conducted across the roster following the May 4 Wrestling Dontaku event in Fukuoka, New Japan Pro-Wrestling has learned of seven positive tests for COVID-19.
As previously reported, two wrestlers who presented with a fever on the day of the May 4 event were immediately tested in accordance with COVID protocols, with the tests returning positive.
In light of this news, all those who had close contact with the infected parties, in addition to every wrestler on the roster, received PCR tests, with a further seven wrestlers testing positive.
All those who tested positive are experiencing mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. According to protocols and under medical advice, all are isolating and receiving appropriate treatment.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has a strictly implemented COVID-19 policy drawn up under expert advice and guidance. This includes daily temperature and blood oxygen saturation checks, as well as regular PCR testing. All attendees are temperature screened on entry to venues, masks are required during training and backstage, and packaged food is provided in order to limit unnecessary movement outside. However, we take these developments extremely seriously, and are working to further strengthen our COVID-19 countermeasures in future.
NJPW deeply apologizes for the concern caused to fans and personnel and asks for your understanding.
A couple days ago, the Japanese government extended a state of emergency through the end of the month. Only 2.2 percent of the population there is vaccinated, and COVID cases are on the rise. NJPW will be effectively shut down for the remainder of May.