A “no-spectator Games” remains an option for the Tokyo Olympics, which open officially in just four weeks, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee said on Friday.
The admission by Seiko Hashimoto comes only four days after she announced on Monday that up to 10,000 local fans would be allowed into venues — with numbers not to exceed 50% of venue capacity regardless of indoor or outdoor events.
Organisers put off the decision on local fans for several months, and fans from abroad were banned months ago.
The move to allow fans went against many medical experts who have said the safest Olympics would be with no fans due to coronavirus.
“What I feel is that no spectating should remain an option for us as we look into things,” Hashimoto said at a news conference.
“The situation is changing from time to time so that is why we need to remain flexible and prompt in responding to any change. A no-spectator Games is one of our options.”
Resurgence in infections
Organisers seemed to back down slightly on fans after a COVID-19 panel for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported on Thursday that “there’s a sign of resurgence” of infections in Tokyo.
The panel said infections grew by 11% in the last week — based on the seven-day average — with more of the contagious Delta variant cases being detected. Organisers say they will take another look at fans after the current “quasi-state of emergency” ends on July 11.
Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa delivered another wake-up call on Friday when she confirmed that a member of the Ugandan team who tested positive for the coronavirus upon entry to Japan last week was infected with the Delta variant.
Despite extensive testing before and upon entry, cases like this seem certain to happen with 11,000 Olympic athletes and 4,400 Paralympic athletes entering Tokyo, along with tens of thousands of added staff, coaches, judges, and IOC and sports federations officials.
“The Olympic organising committee is very much interested in finding out more from this (Uganda) example,” Hashimoto said. “We will pay detailed attention to get information as much as possible from this experience,” with operations refined accordingly.
She added: “We cannot say everything is 100%. We will make a bubble as close to 100% as possible.”
The head of Imperial Household Agency had on Thursday said Emperor Naruhito is “extremely worried” about the health risks presented by the Olympics.
