According to Reports, Tokyo Olympics will be staged without overseas spectators
HIGHLIGHTS
According to current reports, Tokyo Olympics 2021 will be held without the presence of overseas spectators due to logistical constraints imposed by the pandemic. The torch relay will be held without the presence of any spectators. The Paralympics will also be staged without any overseas spectators.
Tokyo Olympics event which was originally to be held from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the event was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is now rescheduled to be held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.
After the rolling out of Covid-19 vaccination programs in the world at the beginning of this year, there was a glimpse of hope that all the pandemic restrictions and ban on traveling would lift and life would get back to its normal routine and hence 2021 would be saved.
Postponed Olympics 2021
The rescheduled timing was looking perfect for those who were looking forward to this year’s staging postponed Olympics 2021 Games. And they were ready to explore Japan to kick out the lockdown’s bucket of Covid-19 pandemic. But unfortunately, this seems impossible for overseas to attend Olympics going to be held in the National Stadium of Japan.
Kyodo Officials, citing sources in the Olympics said that spectators from foreign countries would not be allowed to attend Tokyo Olympics 2021.
The Japanese Government is concerned about the health of people living in Japan due to the coronavirus pandemic. Threats of increased cases of Covid-19 patients, as modified vibrant strains of Coronavirus, have been detected in many countries.
He said “Japan does not allow people from overseas to enter, the country at the moment. They will be allowed once the situation improves, but I think it is not easy for the situation to improve to the point that we can welcome them with ease”
“We would really like people from around the world to come to the full stadium, but unless we are prepared to accept them and the medical situation in Japan is perfect, it will cause a great deal of trouble also to visitors from overseas,” said Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee.
Hashimoto advised the organizers including the International Paralympic Committee, the Tokyo metropolitan government, and also the Japanese government to make a final decision on the issue by the end of March when the torch relay ceremony begins.
Then the organizers will decide and announce the number of spectators to be allowed.
Muto also specified the reasons for not postponing the event till 2022 because this is not a good option, saying athletes will not be able to train under pressure for one more extra year as real estate companies have to sell the housing units thereafter they are renovated.
According to a recent Kyodo News survey conducted last month, resulted in 47.1% of respondents wanted the Olympics and Paralympics to be postponed again, 35.2% said they should be canceled. Only 14.5% wanted the games to be held according to the current schedule.
In regards to coronavirus countermeasures, we need to inform the public to the level that people think ‘are they doing this much?’ Unfortunately, we have not fulfilled that 100 percent. So I think it is something we need to work on,” Muto said.
