News regarding the fate of the Olympic Games, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, continues to unfold. Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the organizing committee for the event, confirmed that the postponed event may take place behind closed doors due to the coronavirus. Hashimoto stated in an interview with AFP: "There may be a situation where we cannot allow any spectators to attend," adding that the Games "will only be successful if the organizers fully protect the athletes and the Japanese people."
She clarified that "the only way we can call the Games a success is by fully safeguarding the lives and health of the athletes and the Japanese populace." Organizers had previously announced a ban on foreign spectators for the games postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic and decided on Wednesday to defer the decision regarding local fans until June, citing a new wave of infections in Japan.
Most people in Japan support either delaying the Games or completely canceling them, as a recent surge in virus cases has led to a state of emergency in Tokyo and other parts of the country. In an effort to alleviate the concerns of the Japanese public, the organizing committee distributed "booklets" containing strict measures against the virus.
Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, described these booklets on Wednesday as "a sign of solidarity and respect from the Olympic community towards our Japanese hosts." Athletes will undergo daily COVID-19 testing instead of the initially planned interval of once every four days.
