Opposition to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has taken a new turn. Now a leader of the main Opposition party in Japan has called to ban all VIPs from the upcoming Olympic Games to prevent a feared “explosion” of Covid-19 infections.
Constitution Democratic Party of Japan chief Yukio Edano has opined that only the athletes, referees and support staff should attend the Olympics.
Edano, according to a Bloomberg report, has suggested that International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach should be banned from attending Tokyo 2020, along with other VIPs who are not “essential” for the Games.
“We shouldn’t let anyone into Japan other than those who are absolutely essential for the events,” the 57-year-old Edano said in an interview.
Fearing that the Olympic Games can potentially trigger a Covid-19 virus “explosion”, Edano advised that Bach, world leaders and other VIPs may take part in the Olympics remotely. Only athletes, referees and support staff should be allowed to attend, he further stated.
Shigeru Omi, Japan Government’s top medical adviser on the pandemic, had earlier called for the Olympics and Paralympics to be scaled back as much as possible. He too had called for strong restrictions for visitors.
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There have also been calls to either call off or postpone the Games amidst fears that the huge gathering in Tokyo holds the threat of making the Olympics a super spreader of novel coronavirus in Tokyo.
BACH AGAIN CALLS OFF JAPAN VISIT
Meanwhile, Bach has put off is scheduled visit to Tokyo for the second successive time. The IOA president has confirmed that he would not be travelling to Japan this month as had been planned earlier.
He may now come in the “middle of July”, with Tokyo scheduled to hold the IOC Session and Executive Board meetings before the Olympics, which are due to open on July 23.
Despite all calls and concerns, the world governing body for Olympic sports, the Japan Government and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee remain determined to go ahead with the Games as per the July 23-August 8 schedule.
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