Tokyo 2020 Olympics to allow up to 10,000 spectators per venue

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organisers on Monday agreed to allow up to 10,000 spectators to enter each Games venue, provided the number does not exceed 50 per cent of its capacity. During an online meeting, representatives of five organising bodies, including International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, finalised a policy on spectator limits, having already barred people from overseas. They are expected, however, to leave open the option of holding the Games without spectators in case the Covid-19 infection situation worsens before or after the Olympics begin on July 23. The committee has sold tickets for 42 per cent of the total seats in venues. But tickets bought for some events have topped 50 per cent of venue capacity. Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organising committee, said at a media conference that a fresh lottery to determine who will be allowed to watch in person will be held. The committee had sold about 4.48 million Olympics tickets and it will not sell any more. Toshiro Muto, CEO of the committee, said the number of tickets is likely to be reduced to about 2.72 million and the revenue from them will be less than half of the initially projected 90 billion yen (US$820 million). The organisers said the current competition schedule remains unchanged. Tokyo Olympics: Japan weighs the cost of allowing spectators in stadiums Since the one-year postponement of the Games announced in March last year, organisers have been reworking preparations in hopes of holding the major international event safely amid a global health crisis. The Japanese public remains unconvinced that it is possible to stage the Olympics and Paralympics without complications, despite repeated reassurances from the government and organisers. A nationwide survey conducted by Kyodo News over the weekend found that around 86 per cent of people in Japan are concerned about a resurgence in Covid-19 cases if the Games are held. Bach said he is “absolutely sure” that the attendance cap policy will “best protect the Japanese people and all participants”. “The IOC will fully support your decision, and will fully contribute to making these Games as safe and secure for the Japanese people and for all participants,” Bach said, adding that “well over 80 per cent” of athletes’ village residents will be vaccinated. The Japanese organisers had initially sought to set the policy by the end of spring, but the schedule was delayed as Tokyo has been under Covid-19 states of emergency for most of this year due to multiple waves of infections driven by highly contagious coronavirus variants. The organisers had said they will apply the Japanese government’s policy on spectator caps at large events to the Olympics, implying they would allow 50 per cent of venue capacity or up to 10,000 fans, whichever is smaller. Cardboard beds, no condoms allowed: Olympic Village unveiled in Tokyo For the Olympic opening ceremony at the National Stadium, which can accommodate 68,000 fans, the spectator cap is expected to comprise both ticket holders from the general public and officials related to the Games, according to officials familiar with the planning. The organisers were considering allowing about 20,000 spectators in total, but they have been trying to cut the number of Games officials, possibly by several thousand people, said the officials. The organisers said they will decide on spectator limits for the Paralympics by July 16, as the Games do not begin until August 24. Tokyo shifted to a quasi-state of emergency from Monday, a day after a third state of emergency since late April ended. But medical experts, including Japan’s top Covid-19 adviser, have called for the Games to be held behind closed doors. Ahead of the five-party online meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the Olympics may be held without spectators if the Covid-19 situation in the country worsens and he has to declare another state of emergency. Koike also highlighted the point at the meeting, saying she thinks the organisers should consider the possibility of staging the Games behind closed doors if the situation changes. Suga tells Japanese to watch Olympics on TV, as state of emergency eases Under guidelines drafted by the organising committee, spectators are advised to always wear masks in venues and travel to and from venues directly without stopping anywhere to limit the movement of people and thus reduce the risk of spreading the virus. They are also prohibited from speaking in a loud voice or shouting. Olympic competitions will be held in about 40 venues located in Tokyo and other prefectures. Other large capacity venues include the International Stadium Yokohama, which seats roughly 72,000, and the Tokyo Stadium, which can hold up to 48,000 spectators.