Most athletes and team members at Tokyo Olympics Village to be vaccinated – Thomas Bach


Most athletes and team members at Tokyo Olympics Village to be vaccinated – Thomas Bach

Thomas Bach

With several doubts lingering over whether the Tokyo Olympics will happen as scheduled, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach assured that even as the number of COVID-19 cases in Japan are on the rise, the Olympics village will be a safe place and that the event will take place in an extremely smooth manner without fear of the dreaded virus.

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He further stated that most athletes and team members staying at the village will be vaccinated by the Olympic Games. Despite Bach’s statements, there is still unrest among the Japanese public who have called a plethora of times for the cancelation of the Games. Widespread protests and the signing of petitions and the like have been reported in the country and this has had the IOC scrambling to give reassurance about the safety of the Games.

Thomas Bach on the safety of the Olympics village

Tokyo Olympics protest
A protest taking place against the Tokyo Olympics

Thomas Bach spoke during a video call among the organizers and was quoted by Sportstar as saying, “The most important principle is very clear, the Olympic village is a safe place and the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020 will be organised in a safe way. At this moment, already as many as 75 percent of the residents of the Olympic village are already vaccinated or have secured vaccination in time before the Olympic Games.”

It is noteworthy that Bach had cancelled a trip to Japan that was scheduled for this month due to the COVID-19 situation. Bach further stated that the IOC officials believe that more than 80% of the residents of the village will be vaccinated by the time the Olympic Games get underway. Bach further said that additional medical personnel will be accepted. “The IOC has offered to the organising committee to have additional medical personnel as part of the NOC (National Olympic Committee) delegations,” he said.

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The Tokyo Olympics get underway on the 23rd of July.

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