Tokyo Olympics to be held without foreign spectators: Reports

The 2021 Tokyo Olympics will not include spectators from outside Japan, according to the Kyodo news agency. Citing unnamed officials who have knowledge of the matter, the agency's matter claimed that the move is aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Japanese government decides to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent spread of the coronavirushttps://t.co/Jz1Uwp0XlL

— Kyodo News Sports (@kyodo_sports_en) March 9, 2021

The report further claimed that a meeting between the Japanese government officials, the organizing committee in Japan, the International Olympic Committee and other officials involved will be held next week to formalize the decision.

A decision on local spectators and their numbers is also expected to be announced soon by the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics.

In a press conference last week, Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic organizing committee, had stated that organizers were keen to have foreign spectators at the mega-quadrennial event. He did, however, also hint at the possibility of some constraints.

"We would really like people from around the world to come (for the Tokyo Olympics) to the full stadium, but unless we are prepared to accept them and the medical situation in Japan is perfect, it will cause a great deal of trouble also to visitors from overseas," Seiko Hashimoto said according to Kyodo news

Spectators unlikely to attend Tokyo Olympics Torch Relay opening ceremony

A woman has her photograph taken in front of the Olympic Rings in February 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

Earlier today, it was also reported that spectators would not be allowed for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics torch relay which is scheduled for 25 March 2021.

The ceremony, which is scheduled to take place in Fukushima, Japan, had earlier been planned with 3,000 spectators.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was supposed to be a packed event with spectators from all across the globe. However, the event was postponed due to the coronavirus, and is currently scheduled to go ahead from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.

6⃣ Months To Go!#Tokyo2020 @Paralympics #UnitedByEmotion pic.twitter.com/cENf855mFQ

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) February 24, 2021

This is the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics that the event has been postponed. In the past, three editions of the Games had been canceled altogether.