Short Olympic isolation for some athletes

New Delhi – India’s Olympic body has slammed as “unfair” strict rules imposed by the Japanese government on athletes from several Covid-hit nations for the Tokyo Games, starting next month.

Tokyo 2020 organisers said yesterday additional measures will be used to reduce infection risks from several countries that have seen “significant impact from variants” of Covid-19.

The protocols will involve daily testing of athletes for a week before they depart for Japan and for them to “refrain from coming into contact with other teams for three days after they arrive”.

But the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said the rules would cause athletes to lose three crucial training days.

“Athletes are allowed to arrive in the Games village only five days before their event,” IOA president Narinder Batra and secretary Rajeev Mehta said in a statement.

“Now, three days will be wasted, this is the time the athletes need to be moving towards their mode to peak ... highly unfair for Indian athletes, who have worked hard for five years, to be discriminated against.”

Eleven countries, also including Pakistan and the UK, will be affected.

“Where and when will athletes have breakfast, lunch, dinner”, where can they train, because “practice/training areas are never empty...” the statement asked.

Organisers said in a statement: “For participants from areas such as India that have seen significant impact from variants, it is necessary they follow more stringent rules than those outlined in the [athletes] playbook, and are similar to the existing border control measures.” –