The organisers of Tokyo 2020 have banned alcohol but have defended permitting spectators

With just 30 days until the opening of an Olympic Games marred by the Covid-19 pandemic and controversy, Tokyo Olympics organisers agreed on Wednesday not to sell alcohol at venues while maintaining plans to allow thousands of people to attend. Earlier this week, media reports that organisers were considering allowing alcohol consumption in Olympic venues sparked public outrage, with the hashtag “cancel the Olympic Games” receiving tens of thousands of tweets.

“Following experts advice, the organising committee decided against selling and drinking alcoholic drinks at the venues to prevent the spread of infections,” Tokyo Olympics President Seiko Hashimoto told reporters. Adding to that the sponsor Asahi Breweries agreed with the decision to ban alcohol sales at the venues.

Alcohol sales in and around Tokyo have been prohibited after health experts warned that drinking would encourage personal contact, loud speaking, and mixing in bars, all of which could help spread the infection. Previously, Hashimoto backed the choice of the organisers to allow spectators into Olympic sites.

Last Friday, Japanese medical experts said that barring spectators was the safest choice, but they also provided recommendations in their study on how to host the Games if spectators were accepted.

On Monday, organisers indicated up to 10,000 domestic spectators will be let into stadiums. Foreign guests are not permitted. “We determined that doing the greatest preparations we can for a Games with spectators would be better,” Hashimoto said at a media roundtable attended by Reuters on Tuesday, adding that the decision was by medical experts’ advice.

“Of course, I understand that holding the event without spectators would lower the risk, but there is evidence that there have been no clusters at other events and tournaments,” Hashimoto said. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has not ruled out the possibility of staging the Games without spectators if Tokyo is placed back under martial law, which was only lifted on June 21. The opening ceremony for the Games will take place on July 23.

Despite the widespread public worry that hosting hundreds of delegates from around the world could result in fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 infections, organisers have pressed ahead with preparations for the Games, which were postponed from 2020 because of the pandemic.