Tokyo (AFP)

Athletes could be subjected to repeated Covid-19 tests and strict controls of their movements during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, according to the measures envisaged by the working group on health security of the Games, meeting on Wednesday.

Less than a year before the event, exceptionally postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the working group and the organizers of the Olympic Games met for the second time to discuss a list of possible requirements.

Among them, participants in the Olympics could be forced to take a test three days before their arrival in Japan, then another on arrival and several during their stay.

Supervisors and people in contact with athletes could also be subjected to a rigorous testing regime.

"Testing is one of the most important issues, whether for the safety of athletes or the public," said Tokyo-2020 Organizing Committee General Manager Toshiro Muto at the press conference that followed the meeting.

But ensuring the reliability of pre-departure checks and ensuring the very reliability of PCR tests will be a challenge, according to Toshiro Muto.

In addition, athletes may also have to submit a detailed plan of their activities or record their movements on a "map application".

Other restrictions were mentioned on Wednesday, such as the fact for those involved to avoid public transport as much as possible or to equip Olympic sites and villages with "pedestrian traffic lanes" in order to respect social distancing.

Common areas like lobbies, lounges and traditional hot spring baths could be closed to reduce contact.

Toshiro Muto added that the organizers were encouraged by the comments of the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach.

In an open letter released on Tuesday, the latter said that sporting events safely held during the pandemic and progress towards vaccine development should "give us all confidence in our preparations for upcoming events, including the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 ".

"We have good reasons, overall, to display cautious optimism," Bach added.

© 2020 AFP