Over 80% of athletes to be vaccinated for Tokyo Games, says Olympics boss Bach as he bids to calm concerned Japanese population

Seeking to allay lingering fears among a jittery Japanese population, International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach has said that the majority of athletes at this summer’s Tokyo Games will be vaccinated against Covid-19.

With the opening of the Olympics just 10 weeks away, calls are continuing in Japan for the sporting spectacular to be either postponed yet again or canceled altogether.

A recent poll published in the Japanese media suggested that more than 80% of the public are against the Games going ahead as planned, as the nation grapples with another surge in Covid cases.

Earlier in May, a state of emergency in several regions including Tokyo was extended until the end of the month.

While overseas fans will be banned form attending the Games, locals still fear the influx of thousands of athletes, support staff and members of the media could risk exacerbating the situation even further.  

But speaking via video call at a meeting of the Tokyo Games Coordination Commission on Wednesday, Bach attempted to quell those fears with a series of reassurances.     

“The most important principle is very clear, the Olympic village is a safe place and the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Tokyo 2020 will be organized in a safe way,” Bach said, AFP reported. 

“At this moment, already as many as 75% of the residents of the Olympic Village are already vaccinated or have secured vaccination in time before the Olympic Games,” the IOC boss added.

He went on to say that the vaccination figure was expected to be “well above” 80% once the Games were underway.

Bach appeared via videolink at the conference. © Reuters

That vaccination rate among athletes would come in stark contrast to the roll-out in Japan, where just under 3% of the country’s 126 million people are reported to have received a jab against Covid.

Among healthcare professionals, that figure is higher but is still said to be less than 30% in Japan’s major cities.

Some of the most vociferous opposition to the Games going ahead has come from Japanese healthcare workers, who say personnel and resources will be redirected for the event when they are needed to treat the local population.

In apparent response to those claims, Bach suggested the IOC would be helping to lighten the load and would not be a drain on resources.   

“The IOC has offered to the organizing committee to have additional medical personnel as part of the NOC (National Olympic Committee) delegations,” said the German former Olympic fencer.

Recent test runs in Japan drew protests from the population, although Bach said the events had proved that measures could be taken to ensure the safety of all concerned.

“The athletes at the test events faced many restrictions – quarantine, daily testing, no public transportation, practically no contact with the Japanese people – to protect the Japanese people,” said the IOC chief.

“The athletes are ready to make these sacrifices because they understand that safety is coming first.”

The official cost of the Tokyo Games has been put at $15.4 billion, with an almost $3 billion increase resulting from the delay caused by the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

Other audits, however, have placed the total cost as almost double the figure stated.

The Olympics are set to run from July 23 to August 8, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 24 to September 5.