2021 Tokyo Olympics may be staged entirely behind closed doors, says Games chief

The 2021 Tokyo Olympics could well be held without any spectators in attendance after the Games president announced that even domestic fans might be disallowed from entering the venues.

The Tokyo Olympics has already been pushed back by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic that first struck last year. However, with the decline in the number of cases during the turn of the year, there was a glimmer of hope that the Games might actually take place under normal circumstances.

But the recent wave of the pandemic that has impacted much of the world, including Japan, has called for special measures once again. While it had already been announced by the organising committee that foreign spectators won’t be allowed for the delayed 2021 Tokyo Olympics, they still remained optimistic about allowing domestic fans in attendance.

Moreover, it was informed that the decision regarding the upper ceiling of fans allowed for an event would be announced a few days before the start of the Olympics. But as per the latest reports, the Tokyo Games president Seiko Hashimoto is considering staging the Olympics behind closed doors in order to completely protect the athletes and the Japanese people.

"There might be a situation where we can't allow any spectators to attend," said Seiko Hashimoto, in an interview, as reported by AFP.

BREAKING: Tokyo @Olympics could be held without fans, Games chief tells @AFP #TokyoOlympics #Tokyo2020 #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/taBPD3NntA

— TOI Sports (@toisports) April 30, 2021

The Tokyo Olympics organising committee has already laid down a set of rule for the athletes

Meanwhile, the athletes have already been directed not to visit any tourist areas, shops, restaurants, bars, or gyms, as per the new set of rules announced earlier this week.

Tokyo Olympics Playbook - Latest set of rules for athletes taking part in the Games:

• People traveling to the country for the Tokyo Olympics should test twice before boarding a flight to Japan.

• They are required to carry a smartphone and download two applications to monitor their health assessment.

• Athletes and others in a close proximity will be tested daily for three days after arrival.

• After three days of daily testing, they will be required to test for COVID-19 depending on the operational nature of their role and level of contact with athletes.

• Olympic athletes must keep their interaction with non-Olympic athletes to a minimum.

• Athletes cannot visit any tourist areas, shops, bars, restaurants, or gyms.

• All participating athletes must wear face masks at all times, except when eating, sleeping, training, or competing.

• All participating athletes will receive a Samsung smartphone upon arrival at the venue.

• All participating athletes are prohibited from using public transport and must use vehicles specially designed for Olympic athletes.

• All participating athletes are required to eat only in the limited areas as outlined in the Playbook, including the venues, their accommodation's eateries, and their rooms, with the help of room service and food delivery options.