China prepares as world enters Olympic time
► Tokyo event provides experience for Winter Games preparation: observer
With International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach’s arrival in Tokyo on Thursday, the world has officially entered a special Olympic time, as the Japanese organizer announced on the same day that spectators will be banned from most of the event under the fourth state of emergency in Tokyo.
A source close to China’s Olympic delegation told the Global Times on Friday that Team China will have a ceremony on July 15, before their trip to Tokyo.
The China [mainland] delegation has 413 athletes, similar to the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Team China’s list has been confirmed in almost all sports.
In an anti-pandemic themed promotional video released by Xinhua News Agency on Thursday, China’s Olympians train on empty fields, in their own rooms and in hotel corridors. And there are also health workers who vaccinate people against COVID-19, workers who are disinfecting stadium and others dedicated to the Olympic cause.
About 11,000 athletes from 200 countries and regions are expected to arrive in Japan. The number of athletes is larger than the 10,500 athletes in Rio de Janeiro. As the host, Japan will field 582 athletes.
As the epidemic continues to surge in Japan, the safety of delegations has become a vital issue. Japan, with a two-dose vaccination about 16 percent of its total population, reported 2,230 domestically-transmitted cases on Thursday.
At least 14 Olympic staff members have been infected by coronavirus since July.
According to Japanese government regulation, an Olympic-related person who arrives in Japan in July must take two nucleic acid tests within 96 hours before boarding; a virus test will be also conducted at the airport when entering Japan. During the Tokyo Olympics, all athletes must be tested daily.
If one member of a foreign delegation is infected, the entire team will be quarantined in a single room in the hotel until they are confirmed healthy.
The Japanese government announced on March 20 that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics this summer will be closed to foreign spectators. With the recently announced almost full-closure to local residents, observers say the economic loss for Japan will be huge.
Media reported that the Japan Olympic Committee is aiming to earn around 90 billion yen ($800 million) in ticket sales, but now it would be close to zero.
It’s not easy for Japan to host a Summer Olympics amid an epidemic without any “reference” to follow, said Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator.
“But Japan’s hosting will be the reference for the Beijing Winter Olympics which is very likely to be held amid the pandemic as well... Whether it is a success or not, the international community should offer more support and tolerance and take concrete action to help Japan tide over the difficulties,” Wang said.