Tokyo Olympics: fans banned from Games venues in Japan capital amid spike in Covid-19 cases

The announcement came after the government decided to put the host city under another state of emergency until August 22

Athletes have begun to arrive in Tokyo and a handful of them have tested Covid-19 positive

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International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach arrives in Tokyo to a number of challenges two weeks ahead of the opening of the Olympic Games. Photo: IOC/Xinhua

Published: 12:00pm, 8 Jul 2021Updated: 9:55am, 9 Jul 2021

The Tokyo Olympics will be held without spectators at venues in the Japanese capital due to a spike in coronavirus infections, Olympic minister Tamayo Marukawa said on Thursday after organisers made the unprecedented decision just two weeks ahead of the opening of the global sporting event.

The announcement came after the Japanese government decided to put Tokyo under another state of emergency until August 22, amid rising concern the Games could trigger a further surge in infections.

The new policy of barring spectators was agreed on at a meeting attended by International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and representatives of the four bodies, the organising committee, the International Paralympic Committee, as well as the Japanese and Tokyo metropolitan governments.

“It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infections,” Tokyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto said.

“I am sorry to those who purchased tickets and everyone in local areas.”

Tokyo’s neighbouring prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba will also not allow spectators at their Olympic events, and the policy for the Paralympics will be decided next month, the government said.

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