Tokyo Olympics: US first lady Jill Biden to attend opening ceremony
- The White House said Jill Biden would be at the ceremony on July 23 without US President Joe Biden in her first solo trip abroad as first lady
- The last time she attended the Games was in 2010, when she and her husband led the US delegation to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada
The last time she attended the Games was in 2010, when she and her husband led the US delegation to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
This year’s Games will be held with no fans in the stands, after a state of emergency was declared in Tokyo.
Jill Biden was vaccinated in January, before her husband became US president.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters previously that a team had been sent to Tokyo to assess the feasibility of Jill Biden’s visit. Last week, she said that despite the increase in coronavirus cases, the president still supports US athletes travelling there for the competition.
“We’re well aware of the careful preparations, including the public health measures necessary to protect athletes, staff, and spectators, that the government and international committee has undertaken, which is why, as we said, we support the Games moving forward,” Psaki said.
‘Japanese only’ signs spark outrage as Olympics spectator ban hits sponsors
Previous first ladies also have represented the US at the Olympic Games.
Hillary Clinton travelled to the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Games and the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Laura Bush led the delegation to the Turin Olympics in 2006. She also accompanied President George W. Bush for the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Michelle Obama led a delegation to the 2012 Olympics in London.
