WHO chief plans Japan visit at Olympics: Report
WOR D Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus plans to visit Japan during the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, the Kyodo news agency reported on Monday.
Citing government representatives, the report said a possible meeting with Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga could see them discuss the coronavirus measures in place for the Games that open on Friday and the Paralympics following in August.
According to Kyodo the meeting is expected to take place sometime between Thursday and Saturday. The WHO has been advising Olympic organizers on their coronavirus measures.
Eight Team GB members isolating
Meanwhile, eight members of Britain’s Tokyo Olympics athletics team are self-isolating after coming into close contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19.
The six athletes and two staff members, who each tested negative for coronavirus before ying to Japan last week, are now under the supervision of Team GB’s medical team.
The individual who tested positive for coronavirus is not from the British delegation.
Team GB chef de mission, Mark England, said: “This is disappointing news for the athletes and staff, but we absolutely respect the protocols in place.
“We will offer them every support during this period and we are hopeful that they will be able resume training again soon.”
The number of Gameslinked individuals to have tested positive for coronavirus since testing began on July 1 now stands at 58 as of Monday, a rise of three from Sunday’s update.
Around 11,000 athletes from 205 national Olympic committees are expected to stay at the village over the next three weeks.
The 2020 Games, delayed by a year due to the global health pandemic, officially begins on Friday and will be held mostly without spectators due to a state of emergency being declared in Tokyo.
Olympic opening ceremony composer steps down
The Japanese composer who worked on the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony resigned on Monday over having bullied classmates, including disabled ones, during his childhood.
Keigo Oyamada, also known as Cornelius, said he was quitting the creative team in charge of Friday’s ceremony.
The 52-year-old took the decision after reports from the 1990s on the bullying surfaced online.
Oyamada stepped down a week after a first apology.
Olympic organizers initially said he could stay on because he had shown remorse but then changed their mind.
“We believe that this decision was wrong and we have decided to accept his resignation,” it said Monday. “We sincerely apologize.”
Ogayama’s resignation is the latest blow for the organizing committee.