Olympics-Swimming-U.S. comfortable with swimmer's compliance after vaccine opt-out

FILE PHOTO: Jun 17, 2021; Omaha, Nebraska, USA; Michael Andrew reacts in the Men's 200m Individual Medley Semifinals 2 during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Swimming competition at CHI Health Center Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

TOKYO (Reuters) - A U.S. Olympic swimming gold medal prospect who declined a coronavirus vaccine has been strictly complying with health protocols while in Japan, as part of a team that is taking the measures seriously, a senior official said on Thursday.

Michael Andrew has been widely criticised on social media in recent weeks after he opted out of the vaccine over concern about how he might react to it so close to the Tokyo Olympics, which start on Friday.