Olympics

IOC meets to discuss the future of Tokyo Olympics

With less than six months to go until the troubled Games are due to start, the board will instead tackle questions over the vaccination of athletes, international visitors and the attendance of spectators, and safety regulations among other matters.

The Olympic body, which will meet remotely, nevertheless finds itself in a similar situation to March last year, when it was forced to postpone the Games by 12 months as the Covid-19 pandemic shut down sport worldwide.

London 2012 chief feels Tokyo Olympics unlikely to go ahead

Keith Mills told BBC radio that the delayed Olympics, scheduled for July-August, were looking unlikely to happen in his opinion due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If I was sitting in the shoes of the organising committee in Tokyo, and thankfully I'm not, I would be making plans for a cancellation," he said.

"I'm sure they have plans for a cancellation but I think they will leave it to absolutely the last minute in case the situation improves dramatically and in case the vaccines roll out faster.

"It's a tough call and I wouldn't like to be in their shoes."

'Impossible': Tokyo residents concerned about hosting Games

The Japanese government and International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided in March to postpone the Olympics by a year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The global sports showpiece is now slated to start in less than 200 days and run from July 23 to August 8.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga reiterated on Thursday his intention to hold the Games.

However, a December poll by public broadcaster NHK showed a third of Japanese residents want the Games to be scrapped due to fears an influx of foreign arrivals may cause a further spike in Covid-19 cases.

Tokyo Olympics to go ahead in 'safe and secure' manner despite Covid-19 surge

Tokyo reported 2,447 new cases on Thursday. This is a jump of 850 cases – just over 50 per cent – from the day before. Tokyo was reporting just a few hundred new cases a few months ago.

The rapid spread of the virus in Japan is imperilling plans for the postponed Olympics, which are to open on July 23. The Paralympics begin on August 24.

'Semi definitely has an intention and a desire to play in the Olympics'

Fijian-based Tuwai was recently named the best 7s player of the decade at the World Rugby awards while Radradra’s 2020 move to Bristol in the Gallagher Premiership cemented his position as arguably the best rugby player in any version of the sport.

Baber has the unenviable job of replicating the 2016 gold medal triumph fashioned by Ben Ryan in Rio, and his preparations have been severely affected by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which saw the originally scheduled 2020 Games postponed for a year. 

Olympics and Paralympics will go ahead, says Japan's PM amid rising infections

The Olympics are due to begin on 23 July with the Paralympics following a month later from 24 August.

Cases have surged in Japan in recent days with Tokyo reporting over 1,000 daily infections for the first time.

But prime minister Yoshihide Suga said the "Games will be held this summer" and be "safe and secure".

Japan is responding to cases of the new variant of coronavirus first found in the UK, with Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike warning the number of infections could "explode".

Large numbers want Tokyo Olympics cancelled - poll

The Japanese government and International Olympic Committee decided in March to postpone the 2020 Olympics by a year due to the global pandemic.

But as Japan grapples with a third wave of infections, the NHK poll shows 32% of respondents wants the Games to cancelled entirely.

Only 27% said they should go ahead.

According to an NHK poll in October, 40% said the Olympics should be held as planned with only 23% favouring cancellation and 25% preferring further postponement.

Athletes to be tested 'every 96-120 hours' during Olympics

During talks between the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the Japanese government and Tokyo Metropolitan Government, further guidelines for how the Japanese capital plans to host the rearranged Games next year were discussed.

Current visitors to Japan need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival but athletes and other key stakeholders arriving for the Games will be exempt from those restrictions.

More than 15,000 athletes are expected in Tokyo for the Olympics, which begin on July 23, with the majority staying at the purpose-built Athletes' Village.

Rugby's Olympics involvement under threat following World Rugby elections scandal - report

Kean was the official nominated by the Fijian Rugby Union – and seconded by France – to run for a place on World Rugby’s executive committee, but that nomination has since been withdrawn following revelations of a manslaughter conviction in 2007.

Fresh allegations of homophobia and discrimination also contributed to Kean’s demise from the global organising body’s ruling council, and that could impact whether rugby remains in the Olympics.

Pacific athletes back Olympic postponement

After weeks of denying the Covid-19 pandemic would disrupt the Games scheduled for July, the International Olympic Committee finally announced they would reschedule to 2021.

Tongan Pita Taufatofua, who rose to fame with a shirtless entrance at the 2016 Olympic Games and competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in cross-country skiing, qualified in taekwondo this month.

He had one final chance to also qualify in kayaking in May, in a bid to become the first person this century to compete in three different Olympic sports.