Confidence growing over Tokyo Games

Buoyed by last week's test event involving Chinese gymnasts in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee has reiterated its confidence in staging a safe Olympic Games in Japan next summer.

With the pandemic still ravaging the world, IOC president Thomas Bach remains bullish on the feasibility of the Games and believes improvements in virus-prevention protocols even bode well for the chances of spectators being allowed to attend.

During a teleconference following an IOC executive board meeting on Wednesday, Bach said a recent gymnastics meet in Tokyo has proved that, with proper countermeasures in place, competitions can be held safely with fans on site.

"A perfect 10," Bach rated the meet. "It's very symbolic in different ways. First of all, Tokyo and Japan have demonstrated that you can organize international events even under the current conditions.

"Having now seen the different test events in Japan, I think we can become more and more confident that we will have a reasonable number of spectators then also in the Olympic venues.

"How many and under which conditions, again, depends very much on future developments."

The event Bach cited was Sunday's Friendships and Solidarity Competition, a one-day invitational meet involving around 30 gymnasts from China, the United States, Russia and the host. It was the first international sporting event to be staged in Japan since the outbreak of the virus.

After arriving at Narita Airport in full protective gear, including masks and goggles, the Chinese gymnasts made headlines in Japanese media for adopting extreme vigilance against the virus as part of the event's recommended COVID-19 protocols.

Around 2,000 spectators were allowed in to watch the action in the 8,700-seat Yoyogi National Stadium, but all were required to wear masks, sanitize their hands regularly, have their body temperature checked and keep socially distanced.

Encouraged not to shout support to avoid spreading droplets, the fans instead reacted with polite applause.

Miu Zhongyi, team manager and president of the Chinese Gymnastics Association, said the health and safety measures were reassuring.

"We know that the host has made huge efforts in organizing this tournament. We understand all these countermeasures. We are very thankful for the job they did and we also tried our best to cooperate," Miu told Xinhua.

The IOC stressed that all parties are working together to ensure the Games will be delivered safely.

"Our clear commitment is to make participation possible for all the 206 NOCs (national Olympic committees) and for the IOC refugee Olympic team," said Bach.

To make that happen, the IOC is teaming up with local organizers, the Japanese government, health experts and pharmaceutical companies to develop a "toolbox" of COVID-19 countermeasures. Bach said he is hopeful fans from Japan, and possibly even from overseas, might be able to attend the Games.

"In nine months from now, we can be sure, given the latest development with regard to vaccination and rapid testing, that we will have better tools in the box than the organizing committee has now. This is giving a lot of confidence," he said.

According to Kyodo News, Japan reported 1,547 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, close to the single-day record of 1,596 logged on Aug 7, and prompting authorities to consider imposing more stringent steps to curb the virus.

Tokyo confirmed 317 cases, topping the 300 mark for the first time since Aug 20, bringing its cumulative total to 33,377, the highest by far among the country's 47 prefectures, according to the report.

In March, the IOC and Japanese organizers announced the postponement of the Games, which were supposed to open in July, for a year, and suspended the Olympic qualification system, with 57 percent of places allocated.

Sports federations are looking to reactivate the qualification process next spring to allocate the remaining spots, with fairness a top priority, according to Bach.

Traveling by charter flight, Bach will on Sunday begin a four-day inspection trip to Tokyo, where he will visit the Olympic village and major stadiums, as well as meet athletes.