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Coronavirus pandemic
AsiaEast Asia

Olympics: Tokyo Games athletes to be exempted from coronavirus entry bans

  • Athletes will monitor their own health and must test negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours of leaving their home countries
  • Participants will be able to practice or compete during the 14-day quarantine period, but movements will be limited

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Former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori (centre left) and Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen (centre right) pose with signed Japan and Taiwan athletes’ uniforms for the Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Taiwan Presidential Office via AP
Kyodo

The Japanese government has decided to set up a system to exempt athletes competing at next year’s Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games from entry restrictions currently placed on 159 countries and regions due to the coronavirus that forced the games’ postponement, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday.

The athletes will be expected to monitor their own health and test negative for the coronavirus within 72 hours of leaving their own country.

They will be tested again upon entering Japan, and will have their movements monitored and restricted after arrival.

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The local organising committee and the Tokyo metropolitan government are expected to reach an agreement on establishing the system at their next meeting on September 23.

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