Evaluation by Chairman Bach International Gymnastics Tournament held in Tokyo Behind the scenes

Evaluation by Chairman Bach International Gymnastics Tournament held in Tokyo Behind the scenes is 0:17 on November 18th

IOC = Chairman of the International Olympic Committee Bach, who is currently visiting Japan.

In talks with Prime Minister Suga and others, he repeatedly talked about "it was held successfully under the restrictions of the new coronavirus," and Chairman Bach said that it would be an important reference for the Olympic Games. This is an international gymnastics competition held in Tokyo this month.

What I could see from the behind-the-scenes interview was the difficulty of holding an international convention.

If someone doesn't take the lead

The tournament held on the 8th of this month was planned and hosted by Morinari Watanabe, Chairman of the International Gymnastics Federation.

Even after the Tokyo Olympics were postponed for one year in March, I continued to talk with domestic and foreign athletes to find out what they were looking for.

(Chairman Watanabe)

"Athletes definitely want to go to the Olympics if they are in a safe situation. I want to interact with athletes from all over the world again through sports. I want to work hard. I will do that. I came to think that it was my job. ”

Chairman Watanabe had many discussions with IOC Chairman Bach and held an international competition in Japan inviting overseas athletes. I decided.

However, the condition was "to prevent excessive infection, and no one infected person should be released."

Achieving both infection control and burden reduction

Chairman Watanabe began studying countermeasures five months before the tournament.

With the Tokyo tournament in mind next year, we focused on achieving both thorough infection control and reducing the burden on athletes participating in the tournament.

After repeated discussions with the government and companies, with special permission, exemption from the necessary two weeks of quarantine after entering Japan.

Instead, we thoroughly quarantined each country for about two weeks and conducted multiple PCR tests before departure.

Athletes send daily temperature measurements and physical condition along with the results of the PCR test using an app, etc., and to ensure transparency, send videos and images of temperature measurements and how they are practicing in a safe place. Mandatory.

After entering Japan, the team was placed in a state called a "bubble" that was isolated from the outside like inside a bubble.

Charter planes were arranged to move the team, and a new space for immigration inspection was prepared at the airport.

Chinese athletes arriving three days before the tournament landed in protective clothing at the airport, and flight attendants said they did not eat or stand in the bathroom for three and a half hours on board. ..

We were allowed to cover the antigen testing of the athletes at the airport.

After a 10-hour flight, the Russian team will perform a certain amount of saliva in a special container for inspection.

However, older members struggled to produce a certain amount of saliva even if it took nearly 10 minutes.

It was almost two hours before the results of all the teams came out.

All were negative, but the players couldn't hide the color of fatigue, such as lying on the airport floor.

Behavioral restrictions, the impact of PCR testing on athletes

Even if you leave the airport and enter the hotel, the team has strict "action restrictions".

Russian ace Nizhegorodski, who won the gold medal at the men's individual all-around last year's world championship, cooperated in the interview.

Nagorny is the first to visit Tokyo.

Nevertheless, it is strictly forbidden to go out except on the floor of the Russian team and the dining venue.

"It's so crazy that you can't go outside even though it's such a beautiful Tokyo!" The dining venues are divided by team, and you can't enjoy conversations facing each other.

With no access to the gym or pool at the hotel's facilities, Nagorny desperately lost weight by doing shadow boxing in the room and making the bathroom look like a sauna to get the best weight.

Nagorny said, "If we are going to host the Olympics, I want the athletes to have a better environment. I would be happy if they could add a sauna and pool."

Furthermore, at this tournament, athletes were obliged to carry out PCR tests every day for four days after entering Japan.

A cotton swab is inserted all the way to the back of the nose before breakfast, but a Chinese interpreter who accompanies the team said, "Before entering the country, the athletes have been inspected many times and their noses are already inflamed. There was also a scene where I asked if I could change my breakfast.

Infection control at the competition, and

The day of the tournament.

At the entrance of the venue, temperature measurement and hand disinfection were obligatory.

The audience was limited to about 2000 people, which is one sixth of the capacity of the venue.

The area of ​​the tournament staff is also strictly divided, and contact with athletes is restricted.

The anti-slip powder for athletes was also prepared for each person, avoiding the conventional sharing.

The tournament was lively with Kohei Uchimura of Japan deciding a big skill of H difficulty, and the curtain ended safely with no infected people so far.

After the Games, Chairman Watanabe said with a relieved expression, "I wonder if I have made a half step toward the Olympics."

However, what we can see from the behind-the-scenes coverage of the tournament is the difficulty of holding an international tournament.

Although it takes so much effort and effort even for 30 athletes in one competition, there are many issues as to whether a similar immigration response and inspection system can be established in 33 competitions and about 10,000 athletes at the Tokyo Olympics.

After the Games, Uchimura told us in an interview based on the current situation of infection with the new coronavirus, "We have to do something unusual. If we can't do that, we can't do the Olympics."

As the effects of the new coronavirus continue, the people involved in the Games must think about what it takes to host the Tokyo Olympics and what the significance of the hosting is.