Tokyo Olympics: IOC President Thomas Bach to visit Japan on July 12– With just 8 weeks left for the Tokyo Olympics, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach is planning to visit Japan on July 12, IOC Vice President John Coates said on Wednesday. In a letter addressed to Olympic officials, Coates revealed Bach’s plans.
He chairs the IOC’s coordination commission that monitors preparation for the games.
Bach had originally planned to visit Japan in mid-May but the trip was postponed due to a spike in coronavirus cases in the country. He was supposed to take part in the torch relay event in Hiroshima last week and meet the Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga.
Tokyo Olympics: IOC President Thomas Bach to visit Japan on July 12
Bach’s decision to reschedule his Japan visit comes at a time with public outcry against staging the Tokyo games.
A new survey has shown that more than 80% of Japanese people oppose hosting the Olympics this year with many parts of the country under a state of emergency due to rising cases of COVID-19.
The Summer Games have been already postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Olympics is scheduled to open on July 23, while the Paralympics is slated to begin on August 24. Tokyo is among nine prefectures currently under a state of emergency that will last until May 31 due to a surge in infections.
Tokyo Olympics: IOC President Thomas Bach to visit Japan on July 12
Earlier this week, Bach had said the IOC is willing to send medical staff to Tokyo Olympics to deal with the COVID-19 situation.
“The IOC has offered to the organising committee to have additional medical personnel…to support the medical operations and the strict implementation of COVID- 19 countermeasures,” he said.
“We must concentrate on delivery of these safe and secure Olympic Games because the opening ceremony is only 65 days away,” he added.
The Tokyo Games are scheduled to take place from July 23- August 8. As many as 11,000 athletes are expected to take part in Tokyo Olympics.
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