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Jonathan White

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka is the face of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and she might well become the voice of it, too.
She is certainly a voice of reason amid the strained larynxes of the tennis world gathered in Melbourne for the Australian Open.
The run-up to the first grand slam of the year has seen some very vocal complaints about quarantine from players as Australia battles Covid-19.
Not from Osaka, who also said she would be happy to quarantine ahead of the Olympic tennis tournament this summer.

“The way that I feel is I will stay in my room for two weeks to play the Olympics,” said Osaka, who won her opening match at the Australian Open on Monday.
She said this after completing two weeks isolating in Adelaide before her warm-up tournament for the Australian Open.
Naomi Osaka calls out Covid-19 ‘hate, racism and blame’ toward Asians
The 23-year-old competes for Japan, where she was born, and she will be a huge hope for the hosts at this summer’s delayed Games.
“I missed out on the last one. Playing in Tokyo would be very special to me. My concern would be the general safety of everyone else because you’re opening the country.
“Everyone is flying in from different places. I would just want the public to feel safe. I feel like the athletes definitely would want to play, but I would want the public to feel safe.”

Excited for the AO to start tomorrow, had a great time practicing in Australia and very happy to be here ☺️ @MastercardAU pic.twitter.com/GDB8ZswNjl
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) February 6, 2021

The Japanese public have made their feelings quite clear about the delayed Games – the latest opinion poll last month had two-thirds in favour of a further delay or outright cancellation.
It remains to be seen how the first Tokyo 2020 Playbook, all 32 pages of it, will affect that.
That Tokyo 2020 Playbook for International Federations, released last week, does not exactly hermetically seal the athletes or anyone else travelling to Japan for the Olympics.
Advantage Covid-19 in battle with Australian Open stars
Despite Osaka’s willingness there will be no quarantine required, instead the athletes will be asked to submit an “activity plan” for the duration of their stay.
Nor will anyone be required to take a vaccine, though they are encouraged to do so.
“When vaccinations are made available to a broader public, the IOC calls for Olympic and Paralympic teams to be vaccinated,” the playbook says, citing the importance of the Games.

Game. Set. 13 in-a-row. @naomiosaka pic.twitter.com/Imlqr43VAN
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) February 3, 2021

“Therefore, the IOC will work with the NOCs to encourage and assist their athletes, officials and stakeholders to get vaccinated in their home countries, in line with national immunisation guidelines, before they go to Japan.”
Visitors are asked to distance before they leave for the Olympics.
“Keep your physical contact with other people to a minimum during the 14 days before you travel to Japan,” the playbook said.
20 for 2020: the sports stars who shone in a difficult year
The headlines so far are that no one is to use public transport, unless they get permission, and the list of forbidden behaviours includes handshakes, hugs, high fives, cheering and singing.
“The health and safety of everyone at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 are our top priority. We each have our part to play. That’s why these playbooks have been created – with the rules that will make each and everyone of us a sound, safe and active contributor to the Games. We know these Olympic Games will be different in a number of ways,” IOC Olympic Games executive director Christophe Dubi said on the release of the playbook.
“For all Games participants, there will be some conditions and constraints that will require flexibility and understanding. We are providing the main directions at this stage, but naturally don’t have all the final details yet; an update will be published in the spring and may change as necessary even closer to the Games.”

Those “main directions” contain few actual details, critics have pointed out. There will be an update to come in April. In the meantime there will be further playbooks.
The next is for broadcasters on February 8, with the one for athletes and team officials the following day and then the press on February 10.
They are going to need them.
We have seen at the Australian Open, which is a damn sight smaller than the Olympics, how fragile sport is in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some 507 players, officials and support staff had to be quarantined after a hotel worker tested positive for Covid-19.
That delayed the draw for the Australian Open once those in quarantine – including 160 players – had been tested. All of them came back negative and the tournament proper began on Monday.
While these playbooks don’t demand quarantine as Osaka suggested or even a vaccine for the athletes, hopefully their updates give the doomed Olympics of Tokyo 2020 a much-needed shot in the arm.


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Tokyo 2020: Naomi Osaka talks more sense than Olympic playbook

Japan’s Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter-final in her Australian Open warm-up tournament. Photo: Reuters

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 04: Naomi Osaka of Japan wears a protective face mask with the name, Ahmaud Arbery stenciled on it after winning her Women's Singles third round match against Marta Kostyuk of the Ukraine on Day Five of the 2020 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 04, 2020 in the Queens borough of New York City. Ahmaud Arbery, was an unarmed 25-year-old African-American man, was pursued and fatally shot while jogging in Glynn County, Georgia. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka arrives before heading straight to quarantine for two weeks isolation ahead of her Australian Open warm up matches in Adelaide on January 14, 2021. (Photo by Brenton EDWARDS / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Naomi Osaka calls out Covid-19 ‘hate, racism and blame’ toward Asians

Japan's Naomi Osaka speaking at a press conference at Melbourne Park in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open. Photo: AFP

Naomi Osaka and Lewis Hamilton vow to carry on fight for social justice

Lewis Hamilton making a statement on the podium after winning the Tuscan Grand Prix in Italy on September 13. Photo AFP

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2020, file photo, Naomi Osaka, of Japan, wears a protective mask due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, featuring the name "George Floyd", while arriving on court to face Shelby Rogers, of the United States, during the quarterfinal round of the US Open tennis championships, in New York. Osaka's victory in the U.S. Open helped raised the issue of racial injustice in the United States. Before each of her matches, she wore a mask with the names of seven Black Americans who died as victims of violence.(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

Naomi Osaka pulls out of Australian Open warm-up Gippsland Trophy

Japan's Naomi Osaka celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu. Photo: Reuters

Australian Open boss ‘absolutely confident’ tournament will go ahead despite Covid-19 case and hundreds in isolation

Tennis player Wang Qiang waits in line for a Covid-19 test at the View Hotel in Melbourne days before the Australian Open is expected to start. Photo: AAP Image/James Ross NO ARCHIVING

Tennis player Wang Yafan of China receives directions after a Covid-19 coronavirus test at a hotel in Melbourne on February 4, 2021, as six Australian Open warm-up events were on hold and hundreds of players and officials in isolation as a fresh coronavirus case left organisers scrambling to ensure the Grand Slam tennis tournament goes ahead. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Tennis players and officials wait in line to receive covid19 tests at the View Hotel in Melbourne, Thursday, February 4, 2021. Australian Open preparations are on hold after a hotel worker's positive coronavirus case put health authorities on alert. (AAP Image/James Ross) NO ARCHIVING

Tennis - ATP Cup - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, February 4, 2021 Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia speaks to media during a press conference. Play on Thursday was cancelled after a hotel quarantine worker in Melbourne returned a positive result for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Up to 600 players and support staff connected to the Australian Open will have to isolate until they have been tested. REUTERS/Loren Elliott

Australian Open plunges into chaos as hundreds of players, staff isolate after Covid-19 case at hotel

The Grand Hyatt hotel hosts tennis players and officials of the Australia Open. Photo: AFP

A man walks past signs related to the Covid-19 coronavirus in Melbourne on February 3, 2021 after between 500 and 600 tennis players and officials in Melbourne for the Australian Open were told to isolate and get tested Wednesday after a worker at one of the hotels they use tested positive for Covid-19. (Photo by Paul CROCK / AFP) / -- IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE --

Sport

Tennis


Japan’s tennis star said she would be willing to quarantine to play at her home Olympics this summer but isolating not in Games guide
First of series of playbooks bans hugging, high fives and handshakes and fans asked not to cheer but Covid-19 vaccines not essential



Japan’s tennis star said she would be willing to quarantine to play at her home Olympics this summer but isolating not in Games guide and Covid-19 vaccines not deemed essential.


Australian Open 2021

Japan

Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


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Faster, Higher, Stronger

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Faster, Higher, Stronger | Tokyo 2020: Naomi Osaka talks more sense than Olympic playbook

Faster, Higher, Stronger | Tokyo 2020: Naomi Osaka talks more sense than Olympic playbook