Tokyo Olympics Keep Athletes, Fans Waiting for Health Measures

(Bloomberg) -- As coronavirus cases and deaths mount around the world, the head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee said they hadn’t yet planned ways to ensure the safety of athletes, fans and staff.

“It will be on agenda,” Tokyo 2020 Chief Executive Officer Toshiro Muto said in a press conference Wednesday evening. “The situation changes every minute. Until we know in what circumstances the games will be held, I can’t address measures accurately.”

That can’t have been reassuring to the stars of the Olympics — the athletes — who have begun to express concern over their safety and preparedness to compete on the biggest stage in sports. Hayley Wickenheiser, an Olympic hockey player and member of the International Olympic Committee said earlier this week that the staunch committment to the games was “insensitive and irresponsible.” U.K. athletes have called for cancellation, as has the head of Spain’s National Olympic committee.

Even so, the IOC and the Tokyo committee have made clear that they are moving ahead with the international event, scheduled to begin July 24. IOC leaders held a call with more than 200 athlete representatives from around the world late Wednesday in an effort to assuage their concerns.

“It was very constructive and gave us a lot of insight,” IOC president Thomas Bach said, according to a Sky Sports report. “We said we will continue to be very realistic in our analysis.”

Finance minister and deputy prime minister Taro Aso told Parliament Wednesday that these games are cursed: “It’s a problem that happens every 40 years.” He appeared to be referring to the cancellation of the 1940 Games because of World War Two and the 1980 Moscow boycott. Asked about the risk of the games spreading the illness, it’s “a pretty difficult decision,” he said.

As of now, the planned torch relay across the archipelago has been scaled back. Tokyo organizers have asked people who feel ill not to watch from roadsides, and the event’s kickoff in Fukushima will take place without fans. Local governments are canceling their torch welcoming ceremonies.

Almost two-thirds of Japanese voters think the Olympics should be postponed due to the pandemic, according to a recent poll. With a growing number of qualifying events already canceled, the summer start date is looking increasingly ambitious.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.