Tokyo Olympics: Thomas Bach defiant after urging Japanese people to welcome athletes even if they are banned from watching
- A reporter from the Yomiuri Shimbun says she is shocked and ashamed as a Japanese citizen because the IOC president needed to ask for support
- Bach says the IOC is aware of the scepticism by many Japanese towards the Games amid the Covid-19 pandemic, adding that no sporting event would ever gain 100 per cent support
Olympic chief Thomas Bach remained defiant on Saturday after urging Japanese people to welcome the world’s athletes and then being told by a reporter that her compatriots would have no problems opening their arms to visitors. She also pointed out out that spectators are banned from most venues because of Covid-19 restrictions.
At a press conference broadcast live on YouTube, Bach said the Tokyo Games would be the most-watched Olympics in history because of vast television and digital platforms being offered to billions of viewers around the world.
And the German urged Japanese citizens to be part of the celebration, even as Tokyo suffers a six-month-high surge in Covid-19 cases and more than 15,000 people in Japan have died from the coronavirus.
Wakako Yuki, of leading newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, said she was shocked and ashamed as a Japanese citizen because the IOC president needed to ask for support, saying that her compatriots would have “no reservations whatsoever” about welcoming athletes.
“We are very well aware of the scepticism a number of people have here in Japan,” Bach responded. “And we learn this through the media, who is elaborating on this very diligently and therefore my appeal to the Japanese people is to welcome these athletes here for the competition of their lives, and to acknowledge that it is not for any price these athletes are coming here.
“They have the same interests as the Japanese people, that these Games are safe and secure and for this they accept and even welcome restrictive measures which make these Olympic Games the most restrictive sports event not only in Japan but in the entire world.