Olympics Countdown: No Fans in Tokyo, Quarantine Confusion in Indian Camp

Sportspersons are allowed to check into the Games Village only five days before the start of their event.

India's first batch of Olympic-bound athletes will depart on 17 July. 

(Photo: PTI)

With new cases on a two-month high and just over 25 percent of the population having received their first dose of the vaccination, Japan was forced to declare their fourth state of emergency due to COVID-19 in Tokyo on Thursday, 8 July.

The emergency will start on Monday, 12 July, and continue for over a month and half, till 22 August, which means it will also cover the entire duration of the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

First Fallout: No Fans in Tokyo

Having closed the Olympics to all foreign fans earlier, Tokyo had sold tickets just to locals for the big event but now, following the Government of Japan's announcement on Thursday, the Tokyo Olympics announced that they were closing the doors to all fans.

Five parties including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG), and the GoJ made the collective decision, but also left the door open for a future review of the decision, if the situation in Tokyo improves.

"In the event of a significant change in the state of infection, a five-party meeting will be convened immediately to review the spectator capacity," read the statement shared on the Tokyo Olympics' website.

On Thursday, the Japanese capital reported a two-month high on their new infections number, with 896 cases.

Indian Team Leaves on 17 July

Following much confusion, the Indian Olympics Association announced on Thursday that the first batch of India's contingent will leave the country on 17 July, instead of the earlier given tentative date of 14 July.

With India, along with 10 other teams, including Great Britain, having to serve a three-day mandatory 'social distancing' quarantine at the Games Village following their arrival, and athletes being allowed to check-in only five days before the start of their event, the IOA chief Narender Batra said he had placed a request to the organisers to allow the Indians to arrive on 15 July and serve the quarantine before the five-day countdown to their event starts. However, he said he did not hear back from them and the IOA has thus started preparations to send off the first batch on 17 July.

“I still say this is unfair for the 11 countries, which goes against Olympism, where every athlete gets a level playing field and these 11 countries are not getting any level playing field. I am upset but you have to respect the law of the land also. It’s not the time to complain but go out there and face the situation and come back with glory.”

IOA Chief Narender Batra told The New Indian Express

Not a Hard Quarantine

While the strength or names of the members of the first batch have not been announced, it is likely to comprise the hockey teams, the badminton players, archers, and swimmers. The Indian contingent this time comprises 126 sportspersons and 75 officials, the IOA had said in a statement last week.

Not all of India's contingent will fly out of the country with the wrestlers, boxers, shooters, and a few others training overseas. These athletes, in fact, will not have to serve the three-day social distancing quarantine as they have not been in India for over a month.

Even the sportspersons flying out of India are not expected to entirely be room-bound in their three days of quarantine and will be allowed access to the training areas. Only, they will be given time slots when other countries are not at the gyms or playing fields at the same time.

More details have been requested and according to Mr Batra, a Chef de Missions' meeting on Friday is expected to furnish details regarding the food provisions and training timings for the quarantined athletes.