Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Council, has postponed a trip to Japan as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage in the country.
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Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Council, was supposed to arrive in Japan on May 17. The visit was a symbolic gesture for the Olympic Games. It was a visit that was to gesture that the games could be held in a safe environment. However, that illusion has now burst. Bach has canceled his visit to Japan as the country battles the coronavirus surge. Japan is battling a fourth wave of the coronavirus, with over 5000 cases everday
Tokyo is in a state of emergency which has been extended till the end of May. The IOC has reiterated that Bach will make a pre-games trip to Japan as soon as possible. The original plan was for Bach to visit Hiroshima to meet the torch relay. He would have then proceeded onwards to Tokyo.
Naomi Osaka, the tennis star from Japan, has questioned the legitimacy of holding the Tokyo Olympics during COVID-19. “I would say I want the Olympics to happen because I’m an athlete. That’s sort of what I’ve been waiting for my entire life. But, I think that there’s so much important stuff going on, and especially in the past year. I think a lot of unexpected things have happened. If it’s putting people at risk, it’s making them very uncomfortable,” Osaka said.
Kei Nishikori, who won bronze in the men’s singles at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, added that there was still time before a decision had to be made but was wary about the potential for an outbreak in the village. “It’s 10,000 people in a Village, playing a tournament. I don’t think it’s easy, especially (with) what’s happening right now in Japan, it’s not doing good.”
The IOC has said it will decide on attendances as the Olympics draws near. However, foreign visitors have been banned from attending. This also includes the family of the players. Vice-president John Coates hoped 90 percent of athletes would be vaccinated. The national vaccination programs around the world and IOC’s deal with Pfizer have given them of confidence.
The Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8. However, with coronavirus still raging, time is running out
