The Tokyo Olympics Committee has announced new measures regarding the COVID-19 protocols and rules for the forthcoming event
The change is that even if a single player tests positive for COVID-19, then the entire contingent will have to isolate themselves.
The Kyodo News reported that both players and support staff, who would be part of the Tokyo Olympics, are required to immediately isolate, when they come to Japan with a person who has contacted the virus. This could be problematic for those who are coming to Japan in groups.
Why did the Tokyo Olympics Committee come up with These COVID measures?
The need for this proposal arose when when two Ugandan players from their nine player-contingent had tested positive for COVID-19 after coming to Tokyo this month. The whole contingent had to travel to Osaka prefecture with the help of a chartered bus as one of them had tested positive for COVID-19 at the Narita airport, which is located near Tokyo.
This led to huge concerns among the people as they are anyways against the Japanese government for holding such a huge global event amidst a global pandemic. And many have also pointed towards the fact that the entire Ugandan contingent should have isolated themselves first before boarding the chartered bus.
In the case of Ugandan contingent, it was later found out by the local health authorities that the whole team, which consisted of eight people were in close contact with the affected players.
What did the officials of the Japan Olympic Committee have to say about the COVID-19 measures?
During a recent interview with a television program, Hidemasa Nakamura, who is the chief of the main operation center of the games said, “There are high chances that people can come in to close contact with the person who is infected, when they are travelling in the same plane. A system should be made in order to isolate the athletes and then take their test, before running into conclusions that whether that particular athlete have come into direct contact with the infected person or not.”
After this, Seiko Hashimoto, who is the president of the Olympic Organizing Committee has admitted that they should make stricter anti-COVID-19 measures.
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Tokyo Olympics 2021
The Tokyo Olympics 2021, which is slated to begin on July 23 will see the inclusion of new competitions such as 3×3 Basketball, Freestyle BMX and Madison cycling. Other sports which will be making their debut in the marquee event are Karate, Sport climbing, Surfing and Skateboarding. Sports such as Baseball and Softball are going to make a comeback in the mega event since 2008.