GAMES

Jereem “The Dream” Richards returns to the United States today to continue his preparations for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Richards arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on March 6. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined he would still be here seven months later. But Covid-19 has...

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THE IOC COORDINATION COMMISSION AND THE TOKYO  2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE AGREED TODAY, 25 SEPTEMBER, ON A SERIES OF MEASURES TO MAKE THE OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020 FIT FOR A POST-CORONA WORLD.

Developed in response to the postponement of this year’s Games due to the coronavirus pandemic, over 50 measures have been designed to maximise cost savings and increase efficiencies in Games delivery.

In his opening remarks to the meeting participants, IOC President Thomas Bach acknowledged the outstanding progress being made by Tokyo 2020, reinforcing his belief that next year’s Olympic Games will be the best prepared ever. He also emphasised that the coming months will require flexibility and creativity from everyone involved as the Tokyo organisers deliver Games fit for a post-corona world. In doing so, the IOC President offered his gratitude to all stakeholders, who are fully aligned with the measures being envisaged.

Today’s meeting provided the Coordination Commission with the opportunity to review the current list of measures, with more opportunities to be identified in the lead-up to the Games. These have been split into four main categories: stakeholders; infrastructure; promotion; and other areas of interest.

Examples of the initial measures include the reduction of stakeholder personnel attending the Games, streamlining transport services, adjusting spectator activities at competition venues and hosting a number of pre-Games meetings online.

Speaking after the meeting, Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission Chair John Coates said: “Built from the principles outlined by the Joint IOC and Tokyo 2020 Steering Committee, these optimisations and simplifications mark an important step towards delivering a safe and successful Games in 2021. We owe it to the public to enact these measures during these challenging times, that’s why we’ve left no stone unturned and will continue to look for further opportunities over the coming months. The unique task of reorganising an Olympic Games has called for the Olympic Movement to be stronger together – this milestone illustrates our collective commitment. The ‘Tokyo Model’ will not only deliver a Games fit for a post-corona world, it will become a blueprint that will benefit future Organising Committees for many years to come.”

Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshiro added: “Considering the current state of the world, we have been discussing how we will be able to deliver a safe and secure Games that can win public understanding in these challenging times. After we established a broader direction that the Games in 2021 should be simplified, we have been working closely together with the IOC, the IPC and various stakeholders such as IFs, NOCs, NPCs, partners and broadcasters, in every possible area that can contribute to simplifications. This process will benefit future society – becoming a role model for future global events as people adapt to living in the new normal. We will make all efforts to ensure that in the future the Tokyo 2020 Games will be a legacy. We will continue to work hard on simplifications towards next year and ask for the continued cooperation of all those involved in the Games.”

The measures were developed with support from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Tokyo 2020, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the Government of Japan. Important input was also obtained from key Olympic stakeholder groups, including National Olympic and Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Rights-Holding Broadcasters, media and TOP Partners.

With these measures now agreed, Tokyo 2020 will start estimating the provisional cost-savings that can be achieved, with a view to providing an update at the IOC Executive Board meeting in October.

COVID-19 COUNTERMEASURES

The IOC Coordination Commission also received an update on COVID-19 countermeasure planning. This detailed how the IOC, together with Tokyo 2020 and the All Partners Task Force, which includes the World Health Organization (WHO), the IPC, the Government of Japan and the TMG, with input from experts in relevant areas, have reviewed a range of scenarios. These consider the situation in Japan and globally, illustrating potential scenarios that could be in effect during the Games next year.

This strategic approach has been crucial to identifying possible countermeasures necessary to protect the health of all Games participants. It will also help build a framework for operational planning.

The possible countermeasures have been grouped into seven areas: travel/country access; physical distancing; personal protective equipment/cleaning; food and beverage; testing/tracking/isolating; information provision and vaccines.

As part of this process, the close cooperation between the IOC, International Federations and other event organisers was highlighted. This has provided vital input into an ongoing review of the best practices and key learnings taken from the resumption of sporting events in Japan and around the world.

Looking ahead, the Commission acknowledged that as countermeasures are further developed and reviewed, important discussions will continue to be conducted on a stakeholder-journey based approach, with a focus on athletes, Games-related personnel and spectators. These preparations will continue to evolve in line with the monitoring of the global situation and its impact on Games preparations.

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Around "50 to 60" items aimed at simplifying the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are set to be approved in the coming weeks, according to Organising Committee chief executive Toshirō Mutō.

Speaking after the latest meeting of the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board today, Mutō said he expects an agreement on the items will be reached following discussions with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission on September 24 and 25.

The measures – which target reducing costs and ensuring the safety of athletes and spectators – include the number of people involved in the Games, infrastructure and Ceremonies, Mutō added.

The Tokyo 2020 chief admitted the exact cost of the items would not be available until December.

"We expect to have an agreement on the (50 to 60) items, but the ballpark figure on the reduction won't be available immediately because we need to thoroughly examine the numbers," Mutō said.

Mutō also said not to expect a decision on if or how spectators will be able to attend the Olympics and Paralympics, pushed back to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, by the end of the year.

Organisers have repeatedly stressed that they are including crowds in their planning for the rescheduled Games, but leading officials from both the IOC and Tokyo 2020 have acknowledged holding events without spectators is a possibility.

How fans can attend the Games is set to be the main subject of a meeting of a panel assessing coronavirus countermeasures in November.

"When it comes to the specific numbers and how much of the percentage of total capacity should be allowed, I can't say whether that will be decided by December," Mutō said.

"We need to keep a close eye on the situation with the COVID-19 spread.

"We shouldn't make a decision right before Games time, but definitely we should observe the situation thoroughly."

The first set of COVID-19 countermeasures are set to be revealed by the end of the year, a timeline reiterated by IOC vice-president and Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission chairman John Coates today.

Border controls, COVID-19 countermeasures at venues, plans for dealing with infected people, pre-Games training camps, rules for public transport and the necessity of an isolation period upon entry into Japan are all being discussed.

"Our decision at the moment is to go ahead," Coates, who recently claimed Tokyo 2020 will take place next year irrespective of the coronavirus pandemic, said.

"What we wait for is to decide what counter-measures we need to go ahead with, to proceed depending on what stage COVID is at.

"The extent of the ceremonies, the extent of the crowd participation, any necessary quarantine when they arrive in Japan.

"All of those things.

"And by the time we get to the end of the year we'll make an assessment on what counter-measures we'll need to apply."

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The postponed Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead next year "with or without Covid", the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee says.

John Coates confirmed to news agency AFP that the Olympics would start on 23 July next year, calling them the "Games that conquered Covid".

They were originally scheduled to start in July 2020, but were postponed due to Covid-19 fears.

The IOC had earlier said they would not delay the Games beyond 2021.

"The Games were going to be their theme, the Reconstruction Games after the devastation of the tsunami," Mr Coates told AFP, referring to 2011 catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

"Now very much these will be the Games that conquered Covid, the light at the end of the tunnel."

In July, Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto said it was possible that the Games be held to a "limited" audience, but said they wanted to avoid the possibility of having no spectators at all.

Instead, he added that the Games could potentially "simplify" its opening and closing ceremonies, as well as reduce the number of staff and delegations from each country.

More than 11,000 athletes from around 200 countries were scheduled to take part in the 2020 Games. It is not clear how travel restrictions might impact their participation as Japan's borders are currently largely closed to foreign visitors.

Mr Muto also said a vaccine was not a prerequisite for the Games, though health experts had cast doubt over whether the Games could be held without a vaccine.

"If a vaccine is ready, that will be a benefit, but we're not saying we can't hold the event without it - it's not a precondition," he said.

In April, Games chief Yoshiro Mori said the Tokyo Games would have to be cancelled if there were not held in 2021.

Explaining this decision, IOC President Thomas Bach said: "You cannot forever employ 3,000 to 5,000 people in an organising committee. You cannot every year change the entire sports schedule worldwide of all the major federations."

Before the pandemic, the Games had only ever been cancelled because of war, but never postponed.

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to mark one-year countdown