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sports Diasabra 22 Mei 2021

IOC VP: Tokyo Olympics go ahead even if state of emergency

(AP) — The IOC vice more than 80% of the resi- Separately, the IOC has said
president in charge of the dents of the Olympic Village, it will make available an un-
postponed Tokyo Olym- located on Tokyo Bay, to be specified number of medical
pics said Friday the games vaccinated and be largely cut personnel from unnamed na-
would open in just over off from contact with the tional Olympic committees.
two months even if the public. About 11,000 Olym-
city and other parts of Ja- pic and 4,400 Paralympic ath- Fans from abroad were
pan were under a state of letes are expected to attend. banned months ago. Hashi-
emergency because of ris- moto said the number of
ing COVID-19 cases. Coates said about 80% of spectators — if any — at ven-
spots in the Olympics would ues would "depend on the
John Coates, speaking from be awarded from qualifying spread of the infection." She
Australia in a virtual news events, with 20% coming has promised a decision on
conference with Tokyo orga- from rankings. venue capacity next month.
nizers at the end of three days
of meetings, said this would Coates left no doubt that the Kaori Yamaguchi, a bronze
be the case even if local med- Switzerland-based Interna- Japan have been fully vacci- medalist in judo at the 1988
ical experts advised against tional Olympic Committee nated. "At present there are not a Seoul Olympics and a mem-
holding the Olympics. believes the Tokyo Games few people who feel uneasy ber of the Japanese Olympic
will happen. The IOC gets al- Ozaki warned that if the about the fact the games are Committee, hinted in an in-
"The advice we have from most 75% of its income from emergency conditions are not going to be held where a lot terview with the Kyodo news
the WHO (World Health selling broadcast rights, a key extended, the virus and con- of people are coming from agency this week that orga-
Organization) and all other driver in pushing on. And tagious variants will spread abroad," she said. "There are nizers were cornered. She
scientific and medical advice Tokyo has officially spent quickly. other people who are con- has been skeptical about go-
that we have is that — all the $15.4 billion to organize the cerned about the possible ing ahead.
measures we have outlined, Olympics, though a govern- "If that happens, there will burden on the medical sys-
all of those measures that we ment audit suggests the real be a major outbreak, and it tem of Japan." "We're starting to reach a
are undertaking are satisfac- number is much higher. is possible that holding the point where we can't even
tory and will ensure a safe games will become hopeless," She said the number of cancel anymore," she said.
and secure games in terms Tokyo, Osaka and several he added. "stakeholders" coming to Ja-
of health," Coates said. "And other prefectures are current- pan from abroad had been re- The IOC's most senior mem-
that's the case whether there ly under a state of emergency Ozaki is not alone with this duced from 180,000 to about ber, Richard Pound, said in
is a state of emergency or and health-care systems are warning. 80,000. She said Olympic an interview with Japan's JiJi
not." being stretched. Emergency "stakeholders" would amount Press that the final deadline
measures are scheduled to The 6,000-member Tokyo to 59,000, of which 23,000 to call off the Olympics was
Public opinion is Japan has end on May 31, but they are Medical Practitioners' Asso- were Olympic family and in- still a month away.
been running at 60-80% likely to be extended. ciation called for the Olym- ternational federations. She
against opening the Olym- pics to be canceled in a let- said an added 17,000 would "Before the end of June, you
pics on July 23, depending on "If the current situation con- ter sent last week to Prime involve television rights really need to know, yes or
how the question is phrased. tinues, I hope the govern- Minister Yoshihide Suga, To- holders, with 6,000 more no," JiJi quoted Pound as say-
Coates suggested public ment will have the wisdom kyo Governor Yuriko Koike, media. ing.
opinion might improve as not to end the emergency at Olympic Minister Tamayo
more Japanese get fully vac- the end of May," Haruo Oza- Marukawa, and Seiko Hashi- She also said 230 physicians Pound repeated — as the
cinated. That figure is now ki, head of the Tokyo Medical moto, the head of the orga- and 310 nurses would be IOC has said — that if the
about 2%. Association, told the weekly nizing committee. needed daily, and said about games can't happen now they
magazine Aera. 30 hospitals in Tokyo and will be canceled, not post-
"If it doesn't then our posi- "We believe the correct choice outside were contacted about poned again.
tion is that we have to make Ozaki has consistently said is to cancel an event that has caring for Olympic patients.
sure that we get on with our government measures to the possibility of increas- Organizers have said previ- IOC President Thomas Bach
job," Coates said. "And our control the spread of CO- ing the numbers of infected ously that 10,000 medical now plans to arrive in Tokyo
job is to ensure these games VID-19 have been insuffi- people and deaths," the letter workers would be needed for only July 12. He was forced
are safe for all the participants cient. About 12,000 deaths in said. the Olympics. to cancel a trip to Japan this
and all the people of Japan." Japan have been attributed to month because of rising CO-
the virus, and the situation is Hashimoto addressed the Hashimoto said retired nurs- VID-19 cases.
IOC officials say they expect exacerbated since so few in worry of ordinary Japanese. es might also be called in.

14 MLB teams reach 85% vaccinated, relax COVID protocols

(AP) — Two more Major not identified. — among 166,584 samples The positive tests are among
League Baseball teams Chicago Cubs President tested, a 0.035% positive rate. 22 teams.
have been able to relax Relaxed protocols include of Baseball Operations Jed
coronavirus protocols af- dropping the requirements Hoyer and New York Mets
ter 85% of their players for facemasks in dugouts and President Sandy Alderson are
and other on-field person- bullpens, and loosening re- among the executives who
nel completed vaccina- strictions on mobility during have expressed frustration in
tion, raising the total to 14 road trips. recent weeks at the pace of
of the 30 clubs. vaccinations for their teams.
MLB said 84.4% of all Tier
The commissioner's office 1 individuals such as players, There were five new positive
and the players' association managers, coaches, trainers results among 10,306 moni-
said Friday that two addi- and support personnel had toring tests in the past week
tional teams had reached the been partially or fully vac- — two players and three staff
85% level of having received cinated, up 0.5% from the — a 0.05% positive rate.
final doses and would be able previous week, and 78.8%
to relax protocols within the had been fully vaccinated, Thus far this season, there
next week once they are fully up 1.2% from the previous have been 59 positive tests
vaccinated. The teams were week. — 32 players and 27 staff