The 2020 Tokyo Olympic organizers have convinced the Olympic Committee President, Thomas Bach, that the games can be held safely with some kind of crowds inside the venues, the IOC announced.
President Bach said the nation had shown they can organize sporting events in a safe environment through recent competitions, which has given him the belief that the Games will go on with spectators present.
“We are looking for a reasonable number of spectators at the time of the Games. You can organize safe sports events. Particularly in baseball, games already under restrictions, now with spectators, have been very successful,” Bach said at the press conference following the first day of Games project review.
Furthermore, he pointed out that if a vaccine becomes available in time for the July- August 2021 Olympics, IOC would foot the bill.
A vaccine will not be mandatory for foreign participants at Tokyo 2020 although the IOC will encourage its use out of courtesy and respect for the Japanese public. Bach said that it is clear he was not going to put a timeline on designing the protocol, with continued improvements expected over time, and test ways to keep fans and athletes safe.
