October 23, 2020
1 min read

Athletes from hotspots will be allowed: IOC Chief

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach says he doesn’t expect countries to pull out of next year’s Tokyo Olympics due to Covid pandemic and that athletes too won’t be barred if they test negative.

The Olympics are set to be held from July 23 to August 8 next year after being postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but leading health experts have, over the past few months, expressed doubts on whether the Games can be held without a vaccine for the virus.

Bach said that athletes who would be travelling to Tokyo from countries that have a high amount of infections won’t be barred from participating in the Games.

“Athletes do not bear responsibility for the virus,” said Bach in an Instagram chat with German javelin thrower Johannes Vetter.

“If they test negative and follow the safety regulations, they should have the opportunity to participate. I also do not expect countries to opt out. All 206 National Olympic Committees affiliated with the IOC are determined and full of anticipation.”

Bach also said that the organisers are planning testing centres at the athletes’ village, which will be treated as a bio-secure bubble.

“The athletes village is the beating heart of the Games, but this time it will not have the social function that we are used to,” said Bach.

Also Read: IOC lauds Abe’s role in Olympics’ preparedness

Also Read: Qatar to bid for Olympics 2032

Previous Story

Biden warns of ‘dark winter’ if Trump stays in power

Next Story

Climate change: Trump puts blame on India, China, Russia

Latest from Sport

India Slip Ahead of Qualifiers

Goals from Benjamin Davis (8’) and Poramet Arjvilai (59’) sealed the win for the War Elephants, as India were left to regret missed chances and defensive errors…reports Asian Lite News The Indian

‘Never thought this day would come’

Kohli, who scored 43 off 35 balls in the final, was overcome with emotion as the moment he had chased for nearly two decades finally became reality. After an 18-year-long wait filled

RCB’s Long Wait Over

Long branded as underachievers, RCB finally buried that tag with a complete campaign in 2025…reports Asian Lite News For a fleeting moment, it looked like history was about to repeat itself! After

Heitinga leaves Liverpool

Heitinga was active in the English Premier League for the past two seasons as an assistant coach at West Ham United and Liverpool, where he served as assistant coach to Arne Slot.

PSG Finally Conquer Europe

PSG’s win came in record-breaking fashion, as no team had ever won a European Cup final by more than a four-goal margin. Paris Saint-Germain ended its long quest for European glory with
Go toTop