Original title: Vaccine turmoil, entry restriction, postponement of qualifiers: Can the Tokyo Olympics really be held as scheduled?
According to French media, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said the Tokyo Olympics will be held as scheduled.
According to a report by Agence France-Presse, Lausanne, Switzerland, on January 26, the International Olympic Committee stated that it has determined that the "safe and reliable" Tokyo Olympics will be held as planned.
The agency urges participants to get vaccinated, and this is only part of its "toolbox" to deal with the new crown epidemic.
The Olympic Games was originally scheduled to be held last summer, but it was postponed due to the first wave of the new crown epidemic.
Organizers of the International Olympic Committee and Japan adjusted the time of the Olympic Games to July 23 to August 8 this year.
According to the report, after the last meeting of the Executive Committee, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement on December 12 last year, expressing its "full commitment" to the Olympic Games as scheduled, when Pfizer vaccine was approved for marketing in the United States.
Since then, the emergence of more infectious mutated strains and the problems faced by vaccination on a global scale have triggered controversy over the feasibility of hosting the Olympics and the ethical issues of allowing participants to jump in line for vaccination.
The Japanese metropolitan area declared a state of emergency on January 7.
It is reported that the country plans to start mass vaccination in May.
Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, once said: "Athletes have no obligation to be vaccinated, nor do they have the priority to be vaccinated."
Although the statement reiterated that vaccination "will not be mandatory", the statement also stated that the International Olympic Committee hopes to "encourage and assist athletes, participating officials and other personnel to vaccinate in their own country (region) before entering Japan."
The statement said: "This is for the Olympic Games to have a safe environment, but also out of respect for the Japanese people."
The statement carefully emphasized that the International Olympic Committee does not want athletes to be given priority for vaccination.
According to a report from Agence France-Presse on January 27 in Tokyo, the first test event of the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed due to travel restrictions imposed by Japan's new crown epidemic.
The synchronized swimming Olympic qualifiers were originally scheduled to be held at Tokyo Aquatic Center from March 4th to 7th, involving athletes from 10 countries and regions.
Japanese media quoted people familiar with the matter and reported that the game may be held in April or May.
The report also said that the International Swimming Federation and the Japan Swimming Federation believe that because the Japanese government has banned foreigners without residency from entering the country, it is difficult for the competition to be held as originally planned.