AP Exclusive: Athletes wary about virus, testing upon return

FILE - In this Oct. 28, 2018, file photo, then-Washington Redskins running back Chris Thompson (25) warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Giants in East Rutherford, N.J. Reporters from The Associated Press spoke to more than two dozen athletes from around the globe -- representing seven countries and 11 sports -- to get a sense of how concerned or confident they are about resuming competition. Thompson is an NFL running back. He’s also the father of a 4-month-old daughter, Kali. “If I go practice or play and I come back home with the virus, she’s not strong enough yet to fight something like that. For me, that’s my biggest worry,” said Thompson, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this month after seven seasons with the Redskins. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 29, 2019, file photo, first placed United States' Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates on the podium after completing a women's World Cup slalom ski race in Lienz, Austria. The Associated Press spoke to more than two dozen athletes from around the globe -- representing seven countries and 11 sports -- to get a sense of how concerned or confident they are about resuming competition. “If the tests don’t come back for a couple of days and what-not, how does that really work?” said ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time World Cup overall champion. “It’s good to know if you test positive or negative. But if we’re talking about being tested today so we can race tomorrow, but the results don’t come back for two days, it doesn’t really help.” (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2019, file photo, St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong (12) runs the bases in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Denver. Reporters from The Associated Press spoke to more than two dozen athletes from around the globe -- representing seven countries and 11 sports -- to get a sense of how concerned or confident they are about resuming competition. Some wondered whether they would agree to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if required by their sport eventually. “I think it would stop at some sort of vaccine to play,” St. Louis Cardinals All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong said. “There is a fine line between what (MLB) can do to protect us and some things they can do to kind of exert power over us.”(AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)