Olympics fear as virus cases continue to rise in Japan

THE International Olympic Committee is ‘fully concentrated on delivering the Games’ in

Tokyo this summer despite concerns over rising coronavirus cases in Japan.

The Japanese Government has extended its state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas until the end of May, and a recent opinion poll in Japan showed strong support for the Games to be cancelled.

But the IOC executive board met yesterday and spokesperson Mark Adams said the Tokyo Games - which was postponed last summer because of the pandemic - will take place as planned between July 23 and August 8.

Adams said: “We are now very much in an implementation phase and fully concentrated on delivering the Games, which you can see by qualification around the world and the Test events that have taken place in Tokyo.

“Of course the IOC, like all organisations, has its insurance policies and so on.

“But we are fully, fully concentrated on the implementation phase of delivering an excellent Games, which will bring the world together and really mark something we are looking forward to.

“There are a lot of sporting events going on around the world and this one will be the real tentpole moment that will bring the world together.”

Games organisers have already taken the decision to prevent overseas spectators from attending.

A decision on how many - if any - home fans can attend is due to be taken next month, but Japanese tennis players Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori have both expressed concern about staging the Olympics in Tokyo amid a surge in Covid-19 cases.

IOC president Thomas Bach’s planned visit to Japan this month has been postponed because of the existing state of emergency in the country.

Adams said: “We noted and fully understood the decision of the Japanese Government to extend the state of emergency.”