CHENNAI: The Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 which began yesterday will be held till August 8, 2021, followed by the Tokyo Paralympic Games from August 24 to September 5, 2021. The Tokyo Games were scheduled to be held in 2020, but due to the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed for a year. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 virus has produced mutations that are even more infectious, and the outbreak has spread once again in countries and regions which, at first glance, seemed to have conquered the virus.
Japan has been making efforts to prevent the spread of the virus by declaring a state of emergency in some areas, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, early this year. Preventing the spread of the virus remains a major challenge when it comes to organising large-scale sporting events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
In July 2020, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) general assembly decided on the schedule of events and their venues, with the opening ceremony of the Games to be held on July 23, 2021. Since then, those involved in the Games have been working relentlessly, taking into account all safety measures as per the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines.
To prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, in March this year, the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the organising committees of the Games, and the Japanese authorities decided to bar spectators from abroad from entering the country. Later in June, they decided to allow only 10,000 spectators at the venue — well within 50 per cent capacity. However, with the surge of Covid-19 cases in Tokyo, the Japanese authorities declared a state of emergency in the area from July 12 to August 22, 2021. This will inevitably coincide with the duration of the Tokyo Games. Subsequently, the organisers and the Japanese authorities decided not to house spectators for the games held in Tokyo and the three adjacent prefectures, which consist of the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
Meanwhile, they released the third edition of the ‘Playbook on Infection Control for the Tokyo Games’, for the safety of the participants and the Japanese citizens. It may not be exactly the same image of the Olympic and Paralympic Games for those who were looking forward to visiting Japan to see the Games in person or those who bought hard-to-obtain tickets to witness what is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Nevertheless, it remains true that 4 billion people will watch the games on television worldwide because the Olympic and Paralympic Games are an opportunity for the world’s top athletes to come together and demonstrate the “power of sports” to the world. At a time when the world is gripped with the challenge of battling the Covid-19 virus, I would like the world to witness this message from Japan: that we are united in this battle and that, these difficult times can be overcome through the efforts and wisdom of humanity as a whole.
The G20 leaders, including India, have expressed their support for Japan’s determination. In order to accomplish this feat, we will take all possible measures to prevent the spread of the virus and facilitate a safe and secure event in Tokyo. I look forward to seeing the world’s top athletes, including those from India, competing at their best.
Akiko Sugita
(The writer is Consul-General of Japan in Bengaluru)