
<p><strong>A number of Africa’s finest sportsmen and women failed to make the Tokyo Olympic Games for a variety of reasons that in the most part had little to do with performance.</strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><em>By Nick Said</em></strong></p>



<p class="has-drop-cap">The Tokyo Olympic Games were for some athletes the pinnacle of their career and a stage for outstanding achievements, but for others, the Japan National Stadium (the venue of the Games) will always represent a field of broken dreams.</p>



<p>A number of Africa’s finest sportsmen and women failed to make it to the Games, which was held from July 23 to August 8 in Tokyo, for a variety of reasons that in the most part had little to do with performance.</p>



<p>Amidst the ecstasy of winning a gold medal, there is always equal pain being felt elsewhere, leaving some of the continent’s top stars at a crossroads in their hugely successful careers. </p>



<p>The most high-profile of these is two-time former 800-metersOlympics champion Caster Semenya, who failed in her bid to qualify for the Games in the 5,000-meters, having been forced into the longer distance by World Athletics’ regulations for athletes with Differences in Sexual Development (DSD) who wish to compete in races from 400-meters to a mile.</p>



<p>Athletes such as Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba from Burundi and Kenya’s Margaret Wambui, were forced into the sporting wilderness in their chosen distance in a ruling described by Come Damien Georges Awoumou, minister- counsellor at the Cameroon mission to the United Nations, as having the “same effect as apartheid, one of the international crimes against humanity”, which he said at a special debate on sports and human rights at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.</p>



<p>The latest to fall foul of the regulations were Namibian teenagers Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi, who were in blistering form in the 400-meters ahead of the games and seen as genuine medal contenders until World Athletics barred them from competing over that distance. Semenya is taking the fight, not just for herself, but all DSD athletes with naturally high levels of testosterone, to the European Court of Human Rights, who are likely to make a ruling later this year on whether the regulations should be suspended.</p>



<p>She has not given up on competing at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and there will be many other athletes from the global south hoping she wins.</p>



<p>“The ban doesn’t make sense at all. But hey, that’s none of my business. I’ll leave it up to the right people<br>to handle the situation, I’ll keep fighting for my rights,” Semenya said in June to Belgian television after finishing fourth in a 5,000-meter race in Liège, Belgium.</p>



<p>“Of course I hope the rule changes. I’m an 800-meters runner. There’s no doubt about that. I keep hoping that I can run my preferred number (distance). But right now my focus is on being healthy. To be an inspiration for young athletes. I will continue to fight for my rights.”</p>



<p>Says a spokesperson at World Athletics: “For many years, World Athletics has fought for and defended equal rights and opportunities for all women and girls in our sport today and in the future. Throughout this long battle, World Athletics has always maintained that its regulations are lawful and legitimate, and that they represent a reasonable, necessary and proportionate means of ensuring the rights of all female athletes to participate on fair and equal terms. It has rejected the suggestion that they infringe any athlete’s human rights, including the right to dignity and the right to bodily integrity.”</p>



<p>Kenya’s David Rudisha, regarded as the greatest 800-meters runner in history and a double-Olympic champion in 2012 and 2016, missed the Tokyo Games after a succession of injury setbacks.</p>



<p>He was desperate to compete but had not run since 2017 following ankle, leg and back injuries, as well as a serious car accident in which his SUV was written off when he collided head-on with a bus in Nairobi.</p>



<p>His race to be fit and in shape to fight for a gold medal was hampered, in part, by the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant limited training and competition.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p>Covid-19 ruled Nigerian basketball star Michael Eric out of the Games after he admitted to battling with the after- effects of the virus.</p></blockquote>



<p>Two of Kenya’s other current greats were also high- profile absentees as world 1,500-meters champion Timothy Cheruiyot and 2016 Olympic 3000-meters steeplechase winner Conseslus Kipruto both failed to make the team.</p>



<p>At the Kenyan trials, Cheruiyot, who had not finished worse than second in any race for four years, was passed down the final straight and finished fourth to drop out of contention.</p>



<p>Kipruto won the World Championship titles in 2017 and 2019, but soon after the second of those wins, was reportedly charged with sexual assault and has entered just three races since, without finishing any of them. Neither have commented on their futures.</p>



<p>South African long-jump silver medalist from the 2016 Games, Luvo Manyonga, a self-confessed former methamphetamine addict who missed the 2012 Olympics because of an 18-month drugs ban, cleaned up his act to be one of South Africa’s stars at the Games in Rio de Janeiro five years ago. But he was handed a four-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) in June after missing three scheduled drugs tests having not provided details of his whereabouts as required by the AIU.</p>



<p>Covid-19 ruled Nigerian basketball star Michael Eric out of the Games after he admitted to battling with the after- effects of the virus, saying “my health and physical shape went through a traumatic experience”. It shone a spotlight on the effects the virus has on athletes’ bodies, and how it is not just performance that can suffer, but confidence too.</p>



<p>And then there were some who were simply not released by their employers to compete – among the most high-profile of these being Liverpool and Egypt striker Mo Salah.</p>



<p>He was desperate to feature at the Games, but Liverpool reportedly refused to allow him to travel as it would have meant a disrupted pre-season and start to the new English Premier League campaign.</p>



<p></p>


Ian MacNicol Archive

If Not Tokyo, Then Paris 2024?


<p><strong>South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker won gold at the Olympics in Tokyo on Friday, setting the tone for Uganda and Ethiopia following on the leader board. With more events still to unfold, there is still room for strong showings.</strong></p>



<p class="has-drop-cap">South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker brought home the continent’s first gold medal on Friday, in the process smashing the world record for the women’s 200m breaststroke, with a finishing time of 2:18.95.</p>



<p>The 24-year old became the first female South African swimmer to win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in a quarter of a century, delivering a supreme performance to finish ahead of America’s Lilly King and Annie Lazor.<br><br>Emotional at her victory, Schoenmaker was still in the water when she saw the scoreboards indicate she had set a new world record, and shrieked with delight before being congratulated by her rivals, and earning her second medal for the games so far after having won the silver in the women’s 100m breaststroke earlier in the week.<br><br>Schoenmaker received a surprise congratulatory phone call from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday after her victory. Given the tumultuous few weeks the country has seen, the president had some supportive and unifying words for the swimmer, who was strongly celebrated back home.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="736" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-1024x736.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-52007" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-1024x736.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-300x216.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-768x552.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-1536x1104.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GettyImages-1331501475-2048x1472.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>TOKYO, JAPAN &#8211; JULY 30: Gold Medalist Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa during the medal ceremony of the 200m Breaststroke final on day seven of the swimming competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



<p><br>“You have lifted the country,” said Ramaphosa in a recording of the clip released by the Presidency, “Thank you so much. It was just unbelievable. You have done this for the country and for yourself and we honour you &#8230; we are really delighted to have seen this unbelievable performance.&#8221;<br><br>South Africa leads the continent’s medals at the games so far, which has seen Ethiopia’s Selemon Berega win gold for the men’s 10,000m, and Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei set world records in three different events at the games so far. South Africa currently stands at one gold and two silver medals, Uganda with one silver and one bronze, and Ethiopia with one gold.<br><br>With many of the athletics events still to come, there is still plenty of room for the teams to bring more success and glory to their countries.</p>


Swimming – Olympics: Day 7

Making A Splash And More Glory


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The Tokyo 2020 Games are now in the path of a tropical storm, weather agencies warn, yet another threat athletes must face as they battle searing heat and a growing number Covid-19 infections, a far cry from organizers’ assurances of a “safe and secure” Games with “mild” weather.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Tropical Storm Nepartak&nbsp;<a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/25/national/tropical-storm-nepartak/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">could</a>&nbsp;make landfall in Japan on Tuesday, the country’s Meteorological Agency forecast Sunday, which warned of heavy rain, strong winds and high waves.</p>



<p>It is&nbsp;<a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/564745-tokyo-olympics-threatened-by-tropical-storm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">possible</a>&nbsp;Nepartak could hit Tokyo or its surrounding region and organizers have moved&nbsp;<a href="https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/olympics-tokyo-braces-storm-snarls-091502305.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rowing</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/no-plans-reschedule-any-more-events-storm-approaches-olympics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">archery</a>&nbsp;events from Tuesday to avoid the weather.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Officials say they have no plans to reschedule other events due to the storm and on Monday said they&nbsp;<a href="https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/news/possible-impact-of-tropical-storm-no-8-on-the-games" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expect</a>&nbsp;it to “have limited impact on the Games.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>In addition to the impending tropical storm, athletes are also dealing with outbreaks of Covid-19 and scorching heat and humidity as the Japanese capital endures a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/heat-wave-hits-tokyo-olympic-organizers-battle-keep-covid-rates-n1274899" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">heatwave</a>&nbsp;that could make it the hottest Olympic Games on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">record</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Despite Organizers<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/20/as-record-heat-threatens-tokyo-olympics-heres-what-climate-change-means-for-future-sporting-events/?sh=11a204d84fb2">&nbsp;taking steps&nbsp;</a>to mitigate the worst of Tokyo’s stifling summer, beach volleyball players complained the sand is too hot to play on, leading tennis players slammed the “<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/tokyo-olympics-heat-11627186166" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brutal</a>” conditions on court and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/olympics/heat-wave-hits-tokyo-olympic-organizers-battle-keep-covid-rates-n1274899" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Russian archer collapsing during</a>&nbsp;a qualifying round.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>On Monday, officials&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Tokyo-2020-Olympics/Tokyo-heat-and-typhoon-compound-Olympics-complications" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;16 more people linked to the Games had tested positive for Covid-19, including three athletes, bringing the total since July 1 to 148.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>While the Covid-19 pandemic has been a major concern for organizers—leading to a year-long delay and an unprecedented Games devoid of spectators—Tokyo’s lethal combination of high heat and high humidity has been the overarching health concern for officials since before the city won its bid to host. Tokyo’s Medical Association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>&nbsp;that holding the games in July and August was “a serious issue even before the coronavirus pandemic” and the last time the city hosted in 1964 events took place in October after the worst of the heat had dissipated. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/20/as-record-heat-threatens-tokyo-olympics-heres-what-climate-change-means-for-future-sporting-events/?sh=11a204d84fb2">climate change</a>&nbsp;pushes temperatures higher around the world, these issues will increase, as will disruption from storms.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h3>



<p>Official’s touted Tokyo’s “<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210712-heat-risks-add-to-challenges-for-tokyo-s-pandemic-hit-olympics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mild</a>” weather in the city’s successful Olympic bid. It beat out Doha, Qatar, which is due to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup in cooled statia in November due to the scorching heat. In the 2019 World Championships marathon, held in Doha, 28 out of 68 starters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/49860159" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pulled</a>&nbsp;out due to the conditions, with one runner being taken away in an ambulance. The race had started at midnight in an attempt to avoid the worst of Qatar’s heat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>Nepartak was initially forecast as a typhoon, though was downgraded to a tropical storm.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/20/as-record-heat-threatens-tokyo-olympics-heres-what-climate-change-means-for-future-sporting-events/?sh=11a204d84fb2">As Record Heat Threatens Tokyo Olympics, Here&#8217;s What Climate Change Means For Future Sporting Events</a>&nbsp;(Forbes )</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/19/did-olympic-athletes-need-to-be-vaccinated-no---and-now-more-are-testing-positive-for-covid-19/?sh=6fb0b9244db7">Did Olympic Athletes Need To Be Vaccinated? No — And Now More Are Testing Positive For Covid-19.</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/07/25/national/tropical-storm-nepartak/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tropical Storm Nepartak could make Olympic landfall near Tokyo</a>&nbsp;(Japan Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/25/top-golfer-jon-rahm-the-latest-to-pull-out-of-tokyo-olympics-due-to-covid---heres-the-full-list/?sh=6391c81f2a27">Top Golfer Jon Rahm The Latest To Pull Out Of Tokyo Olympics Due To Covid — Here’s The Full List</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tokyo Olympics: fears athletes could face hottest Games on record</a> (Guardian)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Tokyo 2020 – Triathlon

Tokyo Olympics Threatened By Extreme Heat And Tropical Storm As Another 16 People Test Positive For Covid-19


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/07/24/olympic-ratings-fall-sharply-nbc-says-17-million-watched-opening-ceremony-in-us/">Millions of people</a> all around the world are tuning into hours of Olympics events this week, but many athletes competing in Tokyo have taken to the app TikTok to show followers what it’s like at the Olympic Village during the Games, often going viral in the process.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>The first Olympic meme to go viral in Tokyo showed athletes jumping on beds in the Olympic Village in TikTok videos after rumors swirled that the bedframes were <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2021/07/19/the-anti-sex-cardboard-beds-of-the-olympics-explained/">made of cardboard</a> to prevent Olympians from having sex and breaking pandemic protocol—as Argentian basketball players Fran Caffaro and Tayavek Gallizzi proved in one viral video, the beds are <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@caffarof/video/6987334212575661317?sender_device=pc&amp;sender_web_id=6985254902423651845&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;is_copy_url=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sturdier than they appear</a>. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@caffarof/video/6987334212575661317" data-video-id="6987334212575661317" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@caffarof" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@caffarof?refer=embed">@caffarof</a> <p>Trying the Olympic cardboard beds with 480 pounds ✅ <a title="olympics" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympics?refer=embed">#olympics</a> <a title="olympics2020" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympics2020?refer=embed">#olympics2020</a> <a title="olympics2021" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympics2021?refer=embed">#olympics2021</a> <a title="tokyo" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tokyo?refer=embed">#tokyo</a> <a title="tokyo2020" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tokyo2020?refer=embed">#tokyo2020</a> <a title="tokyo2021" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tokyo2021?refer=embed">#tokyo2021</a> <a title="argentina" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/argentina?refer=embed">#argentina</a> <a title="arg" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/arg?refer=embed">#arg</a> <a title="basketball" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/basketball?refer=embed">#basketball</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Ball If I Want To - DaBaby" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Ball-If-I-Want-To-6973722766373570561?refer=embed">♬ Ball If I Want To &#8211; DaBaby</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Another Olympian to go viral on the platform was 18-year-old American diver <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tylerdownss/video/6987483523921759494?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowZOCeYM74c7smjs9j2t9d2hdqGShs15DmVJ6An2lCcWAf2bkIlxjyD4ymaqLKwRcdGgA%3D&amp;checksum=8faa4d9fa95d7d2172a291e052b5ffe615c27c2a49dc8d9d2aa96c615811a051&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6987483523921759494&amp;share_link_id=EE332493-9D78-4F56-B9E4-9079FE689AC0&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627137553&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tyler Downs</a>, who posted a relatable video about wanting to meet star gymnast Simone Biles, another member of Team USA, during the Games.</p>



<p>American rugby player Ilona Maher has posted a variety of behind-the-scenes videos of the Games to her TikTok account—in one, she describes scouting the Olympic Village for a “tall foreign demigod”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ilonamaher/video/6988449598331292933?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgow7QAObZXXM7GgvVsgCfc1ajnhQ%2FTqFW4rp8tmF53rsnVvHy4Z8F%2Bgt%2Bb3YNklcdcjGgA%3D&amp;checksum=3267ca6e011fd4fbbe682bc0e8d877db285d345f7dd7b8ccc95eaeb274f61ca9&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6988449598331292933&amp;share_link_id=0F65B3AE-1FC5-4C61-81BD-8CF13AD90AAB&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627139729&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">athlete to marry</a>, and in another she shows off the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ilonamaher/video/6987899983349468421?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowcnp4waqdE1Ssr%2BGeXdaF%2Fm4Rgi0tFXODlCpQ4IScJXBB8XDE2CjnZJgU1cYXmryEGgA%3D&amp;checksum=7d197536761b74e810a6c5c8810da5b43f95d111619795531eedabd7ad12f799&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6981535158310636806&amp;share_link_id=98A16295-D4F3-4037-BAD7-585089AE4336&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627173431&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ralph Lauren and Nike gear</a>&nbsp;Team USA athletes were gifted.</p>



<p>American fencer Courtney Hurley posted a video showing the room she shares at the Olympic Village with sister and fellow Team USA fencer Kelley Hurley, pointing out how the their sides of the room&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thishurleygurrl/video/6988762823237192965?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgow3JB%2F9buF7YtzxqYOACq90UfMLtmWk6%2BQ4q8vRbXcV6TCfeQb%2FAzDaErU93ho0IwIGgA%3D&amp;checksum=01b42ed0de7c93acb9da248aecaa7862df3b2a58271dd3de2d43a5a8bcc1535d&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6987706776510565637&amp;share_link_id=B7CB069C-0530-49AE-AF70-FBAE97B56E8D&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627213849&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">differ in neatness</a>.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@thishurleygurrl/video/6988762823237192965" data-video-id="6988762823237192965" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;"> <section> <a target="_blank" title="@thishurleygurrl" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thishurleygurrl?refer=embed">@thishurleygurrl</a> <p>This will be our third Olympics together&#8230;I&#8217;m not getting any better🥲<a title="olympicgames" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympicgames?refer=embed">#olympicgames</a> <a title="olympics" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympics?refer=embed">#olympics</a> <a title="olympicspirit" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/olympicspirit?refer=embed">#olympicspirit</a> <a title="foryoupage" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage?refer=embed">#foryoupage</a> <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed">#fyp</a> <a title="teamusa" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/teamusa?refer=embed">#teamusa</a> <a title="tokyoolympics" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tokyoolympics?refer=embed">#tokyoolympics</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - N." href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6807611482092751621?refer=embed">♬ original sound &#8211; N.</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>American swimmer Regan Smith and several teammates used a spare moment during practice at a Tokyo pool to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@regansmith40/video/6988345232916090117?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowGG4HT8HB%2F4q6UjX4zzBaGsds6d1SfVwApvin%2BmEHazHHh%2F4xGCOwTmlZT8cx21gpGgA%3D&amp;checksum=7ab48b0191c49a5b3e39fd5076a853649bb0b9beba207a68efce6a6c77cd3a20&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6988345232916090117&amp;share_link_id=0C9786E2-1B37-45C8-862C-14A34CC973C9&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627137510&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1&amp;is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">jokingly recreate</a> a video that went viral last year of a baby being <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/davidmack/viral-tiktok-of-baby-being-thrown-into-pool" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tossed into a pool</a> during an infant swimming lesson.</p>



<p>Australian water polo player Tilly Kearns responded to a video from Australian rugby player Kennedy Cherrington about athlete hairstyles,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@tillykearns/video/6985395534529940742?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESMgowZyYjpAP7r6LlAhiEvfdKQ4iPXh9D8fgCLM8yJsXnPHpGek3d4ve2IUBzEVO%2F5M2OGgA%3D&amp;checksum=a8c3128e6c627a8c52d2a021d69185bca4f8867769f2544ad6d0e04953877c38&amp;language=en&amp;preview_pb=0&amp;sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAawoof_42mR5wsC_7K-cVTbyU_yuD_TYlZTWRUr1ihRZB__7r6cvd2kPiri1djYbt&amp;share_app_id=1233&amp;share_item_id=6985395534529940742&amp;share_link_id=F0A272D2-F24D-48D2-A5C5-3A6B796B9108&amp;source=h5_m&amp;timestamp=1627215155&amp;tt_from=copy&amp;u_code=d8gk1d6c01khe4&amp;user_id=6743866028382520325&amp;utm_campaign=client_share&amp;utm_medium=ios&amp;utm_source=copy&amp;_r=1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">poking fun</a>&nbsp;at the tight swim caps water sport competitors wear.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Olympian TikTok videos give viewers an inside look at the Olympic Village during an unprecedented Games. With host city Tokyo reporting an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2021/07/22/tokyo-reports-its-highest-covid-case-count-since-january-on-eve-of-olympic-games/?sh=18e18b307e06">increase in new cases</a>, athletes undergo regular testing and follow strict protocol to prevent new infections. According to organizers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/25/top-golfer-jon-rahm-the-latest-to-pull-out-of-tokyo-olympics-due-to-covid---heres-the-full-list/?sh=2c142c9e2a27">137 people</a>&nbsp;had tested positive in relation to the Olympics on Sunday. Most recently, top golfers Jon Rahm from Spain and Bryson DeChambeau from the U.S were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/25/top-golfer-jon-rahm-the-latest-to-pull-out-of-tokyo-olympics-due-to-covid---heres-the-full-list/?sh=2c142c9e2a27">pulled from the Games</a>&nbsp;after being diagnosed with coronavirus.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/25/top-golfer-jon-rahm-the-latest-to-pull-out-of-tokyo-olympics-due-to-covid---heres-the-full-list/?sh=2c142c9e2a27">Top Golfer Jon Rahm The Latest To Pull Out Of Tokyo Olympics Due To Covid — Here’s The Full List</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/07/23/at-least-100-us-athletes-unvaccinated-as-tokyo-2020-olympic-games-kick-off/?sh=1a860519617a">At Least 100 U.S. Athletes Unvaccinated As Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Kick Off</a>&nbsp;(<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/07/19/did-olympic-athletes-need-to-be-vaccinated-no---and-now-more-are-testing-positive-for-covid-19/?sh=6fb0b9244db7">Did Olympic Athletes Need To Be Vaccinated? No — And Now More Are Testing Positive For Covid-19.</a> (<em>Forbes</em>)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Carlie Porterfield, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Opening Ceremony – Olympics: Day 0

Olympians Go Viral On TikTok For Showing Behind-The-Scenes Of Tokyo Olympics


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong> Three foreign athletes residing in the Olympic village and 16 other people linked to the Tokyo Olympics have tested positive for Covid-19, the games’ organizers announced on Friday, marking a record daily rise in cases tied to the event just hours before the opening ceremony is scheduled to kick off.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>According to the organizing committee, the three infected athletes include two from the Czech Republic and one from the Netherlands,&nbsp; who are now undergoing a 14-day period of isolation,&nbsp;<em>Kyodo News</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/6d30a069f5aa-19-olympic-linked-covid-cases-reported-on-opening-ceremony-day.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>It’s unclear how many athletes have been identified as close contacts to the three positive cases, but they will not be required to enter isolation and will be allowed to compete if they test negative within six hours of the start of their events.</p>



<p>The 16 other people who tested positive include three contractors and three members of the media, the organizers said without offering additional details.</p>



<p>A total of 106 Covid-19 cases linked to the Olympics have been recorded since July 1, when the organizers started offering daily updates.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h3>



<p>1,979. That’s the total number of Covid-19 cases&nbsp;<a href="https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;in Tokyo on Thursday, the highest daily count since mid-January. After flattening out last month, cases in Tokyo began to rise in July, forcing the Japanese government to impose a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/07/08/japan-declares-covid-emergency-in-tokyo-olympics-likely-to-have-no-fans-in-attendance/?sh=561896294e7c">state of emergency</a>&nbsp;in the national capital.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>The steady rise in the number of cases linked to the Olympics has raised questions about the adequacy of the safety measures put in place for the mega event. Experts have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/olympic-village-covid-19-infection-bubble-already-broken-health-expert-2021-07-20/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>&nbsp;that the Olympic’s Covid-19 bubble has already been breached and it could lead to a larger outbreak that may spill into the Japanese population. Visiting athletes participating in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are expected to follow a stringent set of pandemic-related rules which were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/archive/2021/06/?sh=47defdb81f67">unveiled last month</a>. Under the rules, all participating athletes and officials will be screened for the virus daily and are required to provide saliva samples at set times. Athletes, who can only stay in officially approved accommodations, will have their movements restricted and will be subject to GPS tracking by officials.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/07/6d30a069f5aa-19-olympic-linked-covid-cases-reported-on-opening-ceremony-day.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">19 Olympic-linked COVID cases reported on opening ceremony day</a>&nbsp;(Kyodo News)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/olympic-village-covid-19-infection-bubble-already-broken-health-expert-2021-07-20/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Olympics-Athletes&#8217; village COVID-19 isolation bubble already &#8216;broken&#8217; &#8211; health expert</a> (Reuters)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Nineteen New Olympic Covid-19 Cases Reported On Opening Ceremony Day Including Three Foreign Athletes


<p><strong>TOPLINE</strong>: In addition to the threat of Covid-19, athletes taking part in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will also face the dangers of extreme heat as soaring temperatures in the Japanese capital, spurred on by climate change, look set to make this year’s Games the hottest on record.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>This year’s summer Olympics are slated to be the among the hottest ever, with peak temperatures&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/07/17/weather/olympics-heat-forecast-climate/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predicted</a>&nbsp;to average around 30 degrees Celsius, or nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Combined with Tokyo’s stifling humidity, the dangerous conditions—which have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">prompted</a>&nbsp;multiple government notices warning residents against exercising outdoors—impair&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/57255563" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance</a>&nbsp;and put athletes at risk from heat-related conditions like heatstroke, dehydration and burns, with beach volleyball players already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/burning-sand-and-35c-sun-promise-hottest-olympics-ever-zlt0q65n2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">complaining</a>&nbsp;the sand is too hot to play on.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The issue was not unforeseen to organizers, who made the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/nov/01/2020-olympics-tokyo-accepts-painful-decision-to-move-marathon-to-sapporo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">decision</a>&nbsp;to change event times and move marathon and walking events out of Tokyo in an attempt to avoid the heat, but is becoming a more pressing issue for all sports events as climate change drives temperatures up.</p>



<p>Outside of the Olympics, major&nbsp;<a href="https://inews.co.uk/sport/tennis/australian-open-2020-heat-rule-temperature-hot-melbourne-suspended-matches-383229" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tennis</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28075216" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soccer</a>&nbsp;tournaments have had to put&nbsp;<a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/tennis/2018/08/28/us-open-new-heat-rule-allows-players-10-minute-break/1123268002/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">policies</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/about_wimbledon/heat_rule.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">place</a>&nbsp;to protect players from extreme heat, U.S. triathlons and horse races have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/07/19/heat-wave-prompts-cancellations-new-york-triathlon-horse-races/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canceled</a>&nbsp;due to heatwaves and the world’s biggest sporting event, the soccer World Cup, will be held in climate-controlled&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/21/football/qatar-2022-fifa-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stadia</a>&nbsp;to avoid the worst of host nation Qatar’s heat in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The effects of climate change are not restricted to extreme heat: shortening winter seasons pose an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/56972369" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">existential threat&nbsp;</a>to snowsports, severe typhoons led to several 2019 Rugby World Cup matches to be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2019/oct/10/rugby-world-cup-tournament-japan-super-typhoon-hagibis-england-scotland-france-game-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canceled</a>&nbsp;and smoke from wildfires has disrupted numerous outdoor events across the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-sport-idUSKCN1UJ0OC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S.</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/15/21065784/australian-open-wildfire-smoke-health-effects-tennis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Australia</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



<p>The International Olympic Committee told&nbsp;<em>Forbes&nbsp;</em>it “takes concerns about heat very seriously” and has taken a “wide range of measures” to mitigate the effect of temperature on athletes. These measures include scheduling longer distance athletics and cycling events later in the day, moving equestrian and triathlon events to early morning and improving access to shade and water.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>Tokyo’s Medical Association has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stressed</a>&nbsp;that holding the games in July and August was “a serious issue even before the coronavirus pandemic” and a report by the British Association for Sustainable Sport&nbsp;<a href="https://basis.org.uk/rings-of-fire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outlined</a>&nbsp;the likelihood of impaired performance due to heat. Heat has already been an issue in the lead up to the event—three rowers were&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/aug/12/concerns-rise-with-tokyo-heat-after-rowers-treated-at-olympic-test-event" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treated</a>&nbsp;for heat exhaustion after an Olympics test event in Tokyo in 2019—and other sporting events around the world are increasingly encountering similar problems. 28 out of 68 starters&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/49860159" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pulled</a>&nbsp;out of a World Championships marathon held in Doha, Qatar in 2019 due to the conditions, with one runner being taken away in an ambulance. The race started at midnight in an attempt to avoid the worst of Qatar’s heat.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h3>



<p>71,000. That’s how many people sought emergency care for heatstroke between June and September 2019 in Japan. 118 of these died. A smaller number—65,000 cases and 112 deaths—occurred during the same period in 2020, though fewer people were out due to the pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Qatar’s cooled stadia for the 2022 World Cup will likely give an insight into how outdoor sports events can be held in hot weather, especially if its cooling&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/21/football/qatar-2022-fifa-world-cup-spt-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">technology</a>&nbsp;is both ecologically friendly and effective. The event is set to be carbon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.euractiv.com/section/health-consumers/news/fifa-commits-to-carbon-neutral-2022-football-world-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neutral</a>, as are the forthcoming summer and winter Olympics’, the IOC told&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>. Paris 2024 is&nbsp;<a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/news/paris-2024-commits-to-staging-climate-positive-olympic-and-paralympic-games" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">slated</a>&nbsp;to be the first “climate positive” games.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jul/20/tokyo-olympics-fears-athletes-could-face-hottest-games-on-record?CMP=twt_a-world_b-gdnworld" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tokyo Olympics: fears athletes could face hottest Games on record</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-sport-idUSKCN1UJ0OC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Canceled races, fainting players: Climate change turns up heat on sports</a>&nbsp;(Reuters)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.rapidtransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Playing_Against_The_Clock_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Playing Against the Clock: Global Sport, the Climate Emergency and the Case For Rapid Change</a>&nbsp;(Rapid Transition Alliance)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Aerial view of Munich’s Olympic stadium illuminated at night

As Record Heat Threatens Tokyo Olympics, Here’s What Climate Change Means For Future Sporting Events


<p id="h-topline"><strong>TOPLINE</strong> The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday announced that it will ban the sale of alcohol at venues and stringent rules that spectators attending the games will have to follow as Tokyo enters its final month of preparation before the games begin on July 23.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the Tokyo games’ organizing committee, told reporters that the organizers have decided to ban the sale of alcohol at games venues following “experts’ advice” and added that event sponsor Asahi Breweries agreed with the decision.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/06/23/national/tokyo-olympics-alcohol-coronavirus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According to</a>&nbsp;<em>Japan Times</em>, the games’ organizers had been considering a plan to allow the sale of alcohol with some restrictions but the initial plan provoked public outcry in the country.</p>



<p>Spectators coming to venues will be required to wear masks and face temperature checks—attendees who display high temperature or any other Covid symptoms will not be allowed to enter and received no refunds.</p>



<p>Because of Japan’s summer heat, spectators will be allowed to remove their masks at outdoor venues if they can ensure there is a two-meter gap between them and other spectators, Kyodo News&nbsp;<a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/06/3b3748b7440a-tokyo-marks-1-month-until-pandemic-hit-olympics.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>Inside the venue, spectators are barred from making direct contact with others, cheering loudly, giving high-fives, towel-waving or asking for autographs from athletes.</p>



<p>All attendees will be asked to retain their ticket stubs or ticketing data for at least two weeks after they attend an event as the organizers plan to post the seat number and date of attendance of any attendee who tests positive after the event.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



<p>“The festive mood will have to be suppressed—that has become a major challenge,” Hashimoto told reporters&nbsp;<a href="https://sports.ndtv.com/olympics-2020/no-booze-no-autographs-tokyo-2020-unveils-fan-rules-with-a-month-to-go-2470267" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;AFP. “People can feel joy in their hearts, but they can&#8217;t be loud, and they have to avoid crowds. Those are the areas where we need to be creative, and we are putting in a lot of effort to come up with a new way of celebrating.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



<p>Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike did not make a public appearance on Wednesday as she has taken a break from official duties and is resting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/tokyo-governor-koike-taking-break-this-week-due-fatigue-nhk-2021-06-22/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">due to severe fatigue</a>. Citing sources Kyodo News reported she was admitted to hospital in the capital on Tuesday.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>After weeks of speculation, the organizers Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/06/21/domestic-spectators-can-attend-tokyo-olympics-attendance-to-be-capped-at-10000/?sh=2b784d306950">announced</a>&nbsp;that domestic fans will be allowed to attend events at the Tokyo Olympics, but venues will have a spectator limit of 10,000 or up to 50% of capacity to minimize the risk of spreading Covid-19. The decision came as Tokyo and several other Japanese regions exited their Covid state of emergency. However, the Japanese capital is expected to remain under a quasi-emergency state until July 11. The cap on attendance at the Olympic events mirrors the rules laid out by the Japanese government for all other large events like music concerts and local sports—although the serving of alcohol is allowed at these other events. Following the announcement, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide told reporters that if a new state of emergency is declared during the games due to the pandemic, the event may then have to take place behind closed doors. Suga’s sentiment was echoed by Koike, who said the organizers will revisit the decision and consider going forward without any spectators should there be a “major dramatic change in the infection situation.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-2020-tokyo-olympics-olympic-games-coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-b0c7951989b4b0b61ddde7f8ec9c8429" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tokyo shapes up to be No-Fun Olympics with many rules, tests</a>&nbsp;(Associated Press)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/06/23/national/tokyo-olympics-alcohol-coronavirus/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tokyo Games organizers backtrack, banning alcohol at Olympic venues</a>&nbsp;(Japan Times)</p>



<p><a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/06/e6ab72f27ed6-feature-tokyo-olympic-chief-pins-hopes-on-smooth-opening-in-1-months-time.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tokyo Olympic chief pins hopes on smooth opening in 1 month&#8217;s time</a> (Kyodo News)</p>



<p><strong><em>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff</em></strong></p>


Tokyo 2020 Olympic Venue Tour

No Alcohol, No Autographs, No Cheers: Tokyo Olympics Organizers Unveil Rules For Spectators


<p><strong>TOPLINE </strong>The president of the International Olympics Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach on Wednesday offered to increase the number of medical professionals available in Tokyo to help out during the Olympics, amid growing calls from Japan’s medical community to cancel the games which are scheduled to start in just nine weeks as the country continues to witness a surge in Covid-19 cases.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<p>Speaking in Tokyo on Wednesday, Bach rejected calls for canceling the Olympics and insisted that the IOC will hold “safe and secure” games, the Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-health-coronavirus-pandemic-olympic-games-sports-a8dfa4edeea0efbbd498c9a788581c06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.</p>



<p>Bach promised that medical help would come from various national Olympic committees and be available in the Olympic village and sports venues, however, details on this were extremely thin.</p>



<p>The IOC president said he believed more than 80% of the residents of the Olympic Village, which accommodates competing athletes, would be vaccinated or booked for vaccination ahead of the Games.</p>



<p>Bach also said “hundreds of sports events” have been held safely during the pandemic and noted that none of the “test events” held recently in Tokyo turned out to be “virus spreaders.”</p>



<p>Bach’s address comes at a time when doctors organizations in Japan have warned of a collapse of the country’s medical system and that the event has the possibility of increasing the spread of the infection.</p>



<p><em>Nikkei&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/05/19/national/medical-workers-vaccine-rate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;that less than 40% of medical workers in Japan have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and the problem is more severe in Tokyo and other major urban centers where the vaccination rate among health workers is less than 30%.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h3>



<p>“For obvious reasons, we cannot give [athletes] every detail yet, but the most important principle is very clear: the Olympic Village is a safe place and the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be organized in a safe way,” Bach said.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h3>



<p>In a letter sent to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga last week, the Tokyo Medical Practitioners’ Association&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tokyo-health-coronavirus-pandemic-olympic-games-sports-a8dfa4edeea0efbbd498c9a788581c06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>: “The medical systems responding to COVID-19 are stretched thin, almost to their limits. The reality is that the entire medical system faces an almost insurmountable hardship in trying our best to respond with coronavirus measures.” The letter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tokyo-doctors-call-cancellation-olympic-games-due-covid-19-2021-05-18/#:~:text=SportsTokyo%20doctors%20call%20for,Games%20due%20to%20COVID%2D19&amp;text=A%20top%20medical%20organisation%20has,the%20start%20of%20the%20Games.mes." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">added</a>&nbsp;a “strong request” for authorities to convince the IOC to cancel the games.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h3>



<p>2.2%. That’s the percentage of Japan’s 126 million-strong population who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 according to Bloomberg’s global vaccination tracker. Reuters previously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/unused-covid-shots-piling-up-japan-amid-slow-rollout-2021-05-07/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">noted</a>&nbsp;that this was the slowest rollout among wealthy countries.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



<p>The organizers of the Tokyo games have said they will need about 10,000 medical personnel during the Olympics and have also asked for 500 extra nurses and 200 sports medicine specialists. Several districts near Tokyo have warned that they will not give priority to treating Olympic athletes and at least 40 Japanese towns have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/05/13/around-40-japanese-host-towns-drop-plans-to-house-incoming-olympic-athletes-over-covid-concerns/?sh=730af04f1c10">abandoned plans</a>&nbsp;to host visiting athletes amid concerns about inadequate resources. The increasingly unpopular decision to press forward with the event has also faced pushback from Japanese citizens online and a petition to call off the games has now crossed 373,000 signatures.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.change.org/p/%E4%BA%BA%E3%80%85%E3%81%AE%E5%91%BD%E3%81%A8%E6%9A%AE%E3%82%89%E3%81%97%E3%82%92%E5%AE%88%E3%82%8B%E3%81%9F%E3%82%81%E3%81%AB-%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E4%BA%94%E8%BC%AA%E3%81%AE%E9%96%8B%E5%82%AC%E4%B8%AD%E6%AD%A2%E3%82%92%E6%B1%82%E3%82%81%E3%81%BE%E3%81%99-stoptokyoolympic?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_28685503_ja-JP%3A0&amp;recruiter=1199662576&amp;utm_source=share_petition&amp;utm_medium=copylink&amp;utm_campaign=share_petition&amp;use_react=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The petition</a>, which was launched earlier this month, argues that it is “highly possible” the Olympic Games will become a “superspreader” event that will “cause danger and fear to healthcare workers, citizens and participants.”</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/05/18/thousands-of-japanese-doctors-warn-tokyo-cant-handle-olympics-amid-recent-covid-19-outbreak/?sh=60b858b6a304">Thousands Of Japanese Doctors Warn Tokyo Can’t Handle Olympics Amid Recent Covid-19 Outbreak</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/05/13/around-40-japanese-host-towns-drop-plans-to-house-incoming-olympic-athletes-over-covid-concerns/?sh=23d75b561c10">Around 40 Japanese ‘Host Towns’ Drop Plans To House Incoming Olympic Athletes Over Covid Concerns</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2021/05/07/tens-of-millions-of-unused-covid-vaccine-doses-are-reportedly-piling-up-in-japan-as-it-witnesses-a-surge-in-cases/?sh=7bd74d2541c9">Tens Of Millions Of Unused Covid Vaccine Doses Are Reportedly Piling Up In Japan As It Witnesses A Surge In Cases</a> (Forbes)</p>



<p><em><strong>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff</strong></em></p>


Tag: Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

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