One important date is March 25, when the torch relay is scheduled to begin from northern JapanGETTY IMAGES
The Tokyo Games are set to open in six months on July 23 and organizers have "no public program planned to mark the milestone," as there is "too much uncertainty" surrounding the event, according to Stephen Wade of the AP. Instead of a countdown celebration, the focus is "on the virus and speculation around the Olympics being canceled." One important date is March 25, "when the torch relay, heavily sponsored by Coca-Cola and Toyota, begins from northern Japan, crisscrossing the country for four months with 10,000 runners headed to Tokyo." It is "hard to imagine the relay going ahead, but the Olympics being canceled." The Games will "almost certainly" look different if they do go ahead. Athletes "will be told to arrive later than usual, and leave early," the idea being to "keep the Athletes Village sparsely populated." As such, it is "hard to imagine much interaction between athletes, the public and the media." However, from the "perspective of the television viewer, everything may look similar to previous Olympics." The venues are "basically TV stages, and they look the same from one Olympics to the next." It is "not clear" whether vaccinations will be required. IOC President Thomas Bach has "urged all 'participants' to be vaccinated.'" But he has said that athletes "will not be required to." Still, that "was the IOC speaking." The Japanese government "could override this with different rules for entry and requirements for quarantines" (AP, 1/19).
SMALLER CROWD AT OPENING CEREMONY: REUTERS' Tim Kelly reported the IOC expects "only 6,000 athletes to participate" in the Opening Ceremony, almost half of "initial estimates, as organizers implement measures to guard against coronavirus infections." Around 11,000 athletes from 200 countries "had initially been expected" at the event (REUTERS, 1/17).
