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▼ Tokyo Hosts Olympic Test Events With Athletes From Abroad Amid Emergency
- Category:Event
The first international sports events with athletes from abroad during this third pandemic-related state-of-emergency kicked off Saturday in Tokyo.
About 200 divers from 45 nations and regions participated in the FINA Diving World Cup, the final qualifier for the Olympics, and about 30 members of China’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams had matches against Japan in the International Volleyball Games, a two-day friendly competition.
The two events also served as test events for the Tokyo Games, held at the venues expected to be used for the upcoming Olympics.
The theme of the events is to realize the Tokyo Games on top of checking the operating procedures and equipment at each facility.
At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Koto Ward, the splashes into the pool echoed through the building as the six-day Diving World Cup is being held without spectators.
After finishing their dive, players stopped by the poolside to speak to the media. Reporters stood in a glass-partitioned section, interviewing players using microphones and speakers set up poolside and within the partitioned area.
The 200 or so divers from overseas started arriving in Japan in late April to prepare for the event.
They underwent testing for the novel coronavirus before arrival and when they entered Japan. They were transported by special buses from the airport to designated hotels and went through special entrances escorted by hotel staff wearing face shields.
At the hotels, entire floors were reserved for the athletes to isolate them in a bubble.
■ Infection concerns
Such COVID-19 control measures highlight the situation where no further postponement of test events can be allowed.
The Diving World Cup was originally supposed to start on April 18 and was once on the verge of cancellation. The Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) was eager to hold the qualifier, but the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA), the international swimming body that organizes the event, has been dissatisfied with Japan’s COVID-19 control.
FINA had said in a written statement that Japan’s handling of the pandemic is inadequate and had posted on its website that the World Cup and other events to be held in Japan would be cancelled.
Through negotiations, Japan managed to host the Diving World Cup, but Australia stopped sending its athletes to the event because of concerns over the infection situation in Japan.
Serious concerns will be raised at home and abroad if athletes who competed in Japan in the test events are infected and are forced to drop out of the Olympics.
“We can’t afford to fail,” a senior JASF member said. “We face crucial moments every single day.”
Strict virus controls put a strain on players, mentally and physically.
On the first day of the Diving World Cup, the head coach of the German team said athletes have no mental space. The coach said it was a pity that they couldn’t even get some fresh air. He implored to at least be allowed to walk in the hotel garden or the parking lot.
Besides having to take care of their conditioning, there are also some athletes who are reluctant to undergo the frequent virus tests.
As for the Chinese men’s volleyball team, its members underwent checkups at Narita Airport and then moved to the airport lobby among regular passengers.
Ensuring the effectiveness of COVID-19 control is a major issue for the future test events and the Tokyo Games.
“It’s like a puzzle,” a Tokyo Games’ organizing committee member said. “It is impossible to come up with a perfect answer [that would satisfy all participants] when giving top priority to safety and security.”
■ Daily testing
For athletes, coaches and others related to the Tokyo Games entering Japan, the government intends to conduct thorough testing for the novel coronavirus upon entry and to closely monitor health conditions during their stay.
Not only will this help ensure the safety of athletes in order to hold a successful Olympics and Paralympics, but also it will alleviate public anxiety over an influx of the virus.
Japanese nationals returning from abroad are currently required to be tested for the virus before and upon entry to Japan. The measures will be stricter for the Olympics and Paralympics. Athletes and coaches will be tested twice before leaving for Japan and at the time of entry. In addition, they will be tested daily in principle after entering Japan.
“We agreed on implementing strict behavior management in order to ensure safety and security,” Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said to reporters on Wednesday after coronavirus measures were decided at a five-way meeting that included the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Even if someone becomes infected, the government aims to prevent the spread of the virus by putting in place an extensive medical structure. At the athletes village, there will be special outpatient clinics for people with fever and virus-testing facilities operating around-the-clock. The Games will be held in the middle of summer, so measures to prevent heatstroke are also required.
However, securing medical personnel for the Games has become an issue as the medical field is under strain dealing with the coronavirus. The government aims to complete the vaccination of the elderly by the end of July, so the Olympics in late July will coincide with the time medical personnel are needed to inoculate the elderly.
The organizing committee estimates that a maximum of about 300 doctors and about 400 nurses are needed per day during the Games, and aims to secure a total of about 10,000 medical personnel.
Speaking about the shortage of medical personnel for the Games, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday, “We will do our utmost to ensure there are no obstacles.”
Coordination is, however, expected to be difficult.
“It is not easy to secure medical personnel for the Olympics when we are walking a tightrope just to inoculate the elderly,” a government official said.
About 200 divers from 45 nations and regions participated in the FINA Diving World Cup, the final qualifier for the Olympics, and about 30 members of China’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams had matches against Japan in the International Volleyball Games, a two-day friendly competition.
The two events also served as test events for the Tokyo Games, held at the venues expected to be used for the upcoming Olympics.
The theme of the events is to realize the Tokyo Games on top of checking the operating procedures and equipment at each facility.
At the Tokyo Aquatics Centre in Koto Ward, the splashes into the pool echoed through the building as the six-day Diving World Cup is being held without spectators.
After finishing their dive, players stopped by the poolside to speak to the media. Reporters stood in a glass-partitioned section, interviewing players using microphones and speakers set up poolside and within the partitioned area.
The 200 or so divers from overseas started arriving in Japan in late April to prepare for the event.
They underwent testing for the novel coronavirus before arrival and when they entered Japan. They were transported by special buses from the airport to designated hotels and went through special entrances escorted by hotel staff wearing face shields.
At the hotels, entire floors were reserved for the athletes to isolate them in a bubble.
■ Infection concerns
Such COVID-19 control measures highlight the situation where no further postponement of test events can be allowed.
The Diving World Cup was originally supposed to start on April 18 and was once on the verge of cancellation. The Japan Swimming Federation (JASF) was eager to hold the qualifier, but the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA), the international swimming body that organizes the event, has been dissatisfied with Japan’s COVID-19 control.
FINA had said in a written statement that Japan’s handling of the pandemic is inadequate and had posted on its website that the World Cup and other events to be held in Japan would be cancelled.
Through negotiations, Japan managed to host the Diving World Cup, but Australia stopped sending its athletes to the event because of concerns over the infection situation in Japan.
Serious concerns will be raised at home and abroad if athletes who competed in Japan in the test events are infected and are forced to drop out of the Olympics.
“We can’t afford to fail,” a senior JASF member said. “We face crucial moments every single day.”
Strict virus controls put a strain on players, mentally and physically.
On the first day of the Diving World Cup, the head coach of the German team said athletes have no mental space. The coach said it was a pity that they couldn’t even get some fresh air. He implored to at least be allowed to walk in the hotel garden or the parking lot.
Besides having to take care of their conditioning, there are also some athletes who are reluctant to undergo the frequent virus tests.
As for the Chinese men’s volleyball team, its members underwent checkups at Narita Airport and then moved to the airport lobby among regular passengers.
Ensuring the effectiveness of COVID-19 control is a major issue for the future test events and the Tokyo Games.
“It’s like a puzzle,” a Tokyo Games’ organizing committee member said. “It is impossible to come up with a perfect answer [that would satisfy all participants] when giving top priority to safety and security.”
■ Daily testing
For athletes, coaches and others related to the Tokyo Games entering Japan, the government intends to conduct thorough testing for the novel coronavirus upon entry and to closely monitor health conditions during their stay.
Not only will this help ensure the safety of athletes in order to hold a successful Olympics and Paralympics, but also it will alleviate public anxiety over an influx of the virus.
Japanese nationals returning from abroad are currently required to be tested for the virus before and upon entry to Japan. The measures will be stricter for the Olympics and Paralympics. Athletes and coaches will be tested twice before leaving for Japan and at the time of entry. In addition, they will be tested daily in principle after entering Japan.
“We agreed on implementing strict behavior management in order to ensure safety and security,” Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said to reporters on Wednesday after coronavirus measures were decided at a five-way meeting that included the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Even if someone becomes infected, the government aims to prevent the spread of the virus by putting in place an extensive medical structure. At the athletes village, there will be special outpatient clinics for people with fever and virus-testing facilities operating around-the-clock. The Games will be held in the middle of summer, so measures to prevent heatstroke are also required.
However, securing medical personnel for the Games has become an issue as the medical field is under strain dealing with the coronavirus. The government aims to complete the vaccination of the elderly by the end of July, so the Olympics in late July will coincide with the time medical personnel are needed to inoculate the elderly.
The organizing committee estimates that a maximum of about 300 doctors and about 400 nurses are needed per day during the Games, and aims to secure a total of about 10,000 medical personnel.
Speaking about the shortage of medical personnel for the Games, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Friday, “We will do our utmost to ensure there are no obstacles.”
Coordination is, however, expected to be difficult.
“It is not easy to secure medical personnel for the Olympics when we are walking a tightrope just to inoculate the elderly,” a government official said.
- May 2, 2021
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