Summary
- Coronavirus tests for all athletes, fans and staff may be made mandatory
- There could be a quarantine-like situation at the Athletes Village
- Olympic seating may be reduced
- Opening and closing ceremony for both the Olympics and Paralympics could be combined
The postponed Tokyo Olympics are likely to be downsized and simplified as the world continues to grapple with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The games had been scheduled for this year but got postponed due to the deadly virus. With hopes of the events opening on July 23, 2021, followed by the Paralympics on Aug. 24, several issues continue to linger.
Associated Press (AP) reveals there have been hints to cause expectations of empty stadiums, quarantines and mandatory virus testing.
According to reports filed Thursday, there are fears that there could be reduced seating, a quarantine-like situation at the Athletes Village and the combining of the opening and closing ceremony for both the Olympics and Paralympics.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told news agencies; “We will move ahead with the items that should be streamlined and simplified.”
The latest on Friday even underscored more difficulties after former Olympic minister Toshikai Endo talked up fresh conditions on which the games will rely on to happen successfully.
Endo set up next spring as the deadline to determine whether the Tokyo Olympics would take place.
“If the global coronavirus is not over by (next spring), particularly if the situation does not allow for the selection of athletes, (holding the games) would be quite difficult,” Endo was quoted as saying by the Japanese newspaper Sankei.
Uganda has already made entries for the games after boxer Shadiri Bwogi qualified for the finals, after earning a box-off victory to secure a spot in the men’s welterweight division at the 2020 African Qualification Tournament in Diamniadio, Senegal.
He joined rower Grace Kathleen Noble who made it to the event category as a first Ugandan – having finished number one in the B final at the 2019 FISA African Olympic Qualification Regatta in Tunis, Tunisia with a record time of 8 minutes and 36 seconds.