It was found that at least 54 local governments nationwide have stopped accepting pre-camps and exchanges for overseas athletes scheduled for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics due to concerns about the spread of infection in Japan.


According to the country, no municipality has officially scheduled acceptance at this time, and experts point out that the move to cancel may be even more widespread.

Infection control is a heavy burden

At the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, 528 local governments nationwide are registered for pre-camps and exchanges with overseas athletes, and some local governments are planning individual pre-camps.



The national infection control guidelines require the receiving local government to establish a system for daily inspections of athletes and local government officials in principle, and to arrange charter planes and chartered Shinkansen for transportation. I will.



Under these circumstances, NHK interviewed prefectures nationwide, and found that


▽ local governments with countries and regions that canceled pre-camps were 48


▽

local governments

that stopped exchanges were 4 and so on, 27 prefectures. It was found that 54 local governments stopped accepting due to the spread of the infection.


In addition,


▽ We were asked to cancel the training camp in advance

,

and there are 3 local governments under final adjustment.

Of the total, more than 80% of the cases were consulted by the partner country for cancellation, and in other cases, the local government made an offer or discussed with both parties.



Specifically, from the partner country side, in addition to reasons such as "the infection does not stop in Japan and there is a risk of movement" and "the safety of athletes and staff cannot be ensured", "the selection of representatives is delayed due to the spread of infection". There was also a reason.



On the other hand, local governments cited reasons such as "it is difficult to take the level of infection control required by the government" and "the practice area has become a vaccination site and cannot be secured".



According to the Cabinet Secretariat, each local government is proceeding with discussions with the partner country based on the national guidelines, but experts have canceled it because there is no report from the local government that the acceptance schedule has been officially decided at this time. He points out that the movement could spread further.

What is the host town system?

The host town of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is the first system established by the government to revitalize the region by accepting pre-camps and conducting international exchanges in various places, expecting that many athletes and spectators will come to Japan.

The local governments registered in the host town are required to continue the exchange even after the exchange in order to make the effect obtained by the exchange the heritage of the Tokyo convention = legacy, instead of subsidizing half of the cost of the exchange project. Has been done.



Currently, 528 local governments, which are about 30% of the local governments nationwide, are registered, and we are planning to accept pre-tournament athlete training camps and interact with athletes and residents.



However, the guidelines for infection control issued by the government in December last year stipulated that local governments would have a certain responsibility for acceptance, and requested that they not come into direct contact with athletes, such as conducting pre-convention exchanges online.



In addition, in response to the mutated virus epidemic, the revised guidelines stipulate that athletes and related parties on the local government side who may come into contact with athletes are in principle inspected every day. It became necessary to cooperate and secure the inspection system.



Furthermore, when moving to a host town far from the airport or the Olympic Village, it is the responsibility of the local government to arrange charter planes and chartered bullet trains instead of regular public transportation.



The national government explained in its guidelines that "even if direct exchanges are not possible, it is important to encourage each other and increase the momentum for the tournament." Some people were confused when it was too big.

The reason for the cancellation

About 80% of the local governments that have stopped accepting pre-camps for overseas athletes so far are due to offers from the other country or region, of which the Russian gymnastics team is in Kamo City, Niigata Prefecture in July. I was planning to hold a training camp in advance, but I was concerned about infection when moving or staying, so I made adjustments in Japan to the last minute and went directly to Tokyo, and I contacted the city last month.



In addition, the American track and field team, to which the world's top athletes belong, has also decided to cancel the preliminary training camps scheduled in Narita, Sakura, and Inzai in Chiba Prefecture due to concerns about the safety of athletes.



On the 5th of this month, Vietnam said, "We will take a serious look at the global infection situation," regarding the preliminary training camps planned in Nagasaki, Isahaya, Omura, Tokyo, Kokubunji, and Kushiro, Hokkaido. We will not hold a training camp, "and we are informing the local government of the cancellation.

On the other hand, in the case where the local government offered to cancel, Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, was planning to accept a Chinese gymnastics team, but since there is no prospect that the spread of the infection will end, "Ensuring the safety of athletes and related parties. There are many issues to be addressed, "he said, and the Chinese side agreed that it would be difficult to accept.



In addition, Takanezawa Town, Tochigi Prefecture, was planning to accept advance training camps for athletics and boxing in the Kingdom of Lesotho in Africa, but the gymnasium, which will be the training ground, will be used as the venue for mass vaccination, and it is not possible to secure a training ground. , It means that he has announced his intention to stop accepting.



In addition, in Higashimatsuyama City, Saitama Prefecture, Cuban taekwondo and wrestling teams were planning to practice at university facilities in the city, but the university side contacted me to decline because it prioritizes student support, so I replaced it. We decided to cancel the pre-camp on the 12th of this month because the facilities could not be adjusted.

Municipalities that have decided to discontinue acceptance

Yokoshibahikari Town, Chiba Prefecture, the host town of Belize, Central America, has decided to cancel the pre-camp because it is difficult to balance with vaccination and the safety of athletes cannot be ensured while the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread.



Yokoshibahikari Town, located in the northeastern part of Chiba Prefecture, was registered as a host town in Belize, Central America three years ago in an attempt to connect it to international education for children because it is close to Narita Airport. We have deepened exchanges by inviting an orchestra of percussion instruments and holding concerts.

During the tournament, we planned to accept about 10 track and field and canoe teams and provide accommodation and practice areas.



However, one of the four staff members in charge of the town hall who had been preparing for the vaccination was also in charge of preparing for vaccination, and the work was almost completely done. Furthermore, it is expected that it will be difficult to balance preparations for acceptance due to human intervention.



In addition, while preparing an acceptance plan based on the spread of corona infection in accordance with national guidelines, even the only hospital in the town does not accept corona patients, so in the unlikely event that an athlete becomes infected or injured. Uncertainties became clear one after another, such as whether safety could be ensured and how much behavior management should be required of those involved in contact with the team, such as the driver of a dedicated vehicle.



After repeated discussions with the Belize side, on the 28th of last month, we decided to cancel the pre-camp and the exchange program after the tournament.



Regarding this decision, Mayor Haruhiko Sato said, "The hurdles for corona countermeasures are very high, and it is better for athletes to enter the Olympic Village directly, and the energy that the town spends on it is immeasurable. It was extremely difficult to accept the pre-camp while advancing the big business with the highest priority. "

On the other hand, the town does not want to interrupt the exchange, and on the 17th, the town staff who had experience working in Belize as a Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer went to a high school in the town and gave a class for new students to learn about Belize. It was.



The student said, "I learned about Belize and felt closer to it, so I want to support Belize as much as Japan at the Olympics."



The town plans to give the children a cheering video for the team.

Expert "There is a big difference in player coordination"

Shinta Sasao, an associate professor at Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, who specializes in sports sociology, said that the successive cancellations of pre-camps not only diminishes the significance of the tournament as international exchange, but also makes a big difference in the adjustment of athletes for the tournament. He points out that there is also a problem with equality.



Associate Professor Sasao pointed out about the results of the NHK survey, "In many cases, the other party wanted to cancel, and I felt that the pre-camp and the Olympics could not be opened in a sufficient manner unless the medical system on the Japanese side was solid." ..



In addition, based on the case where the local government decided to cancel, "The local medical system is tight and I can not handle it. If an infected person is involved in the pre-camp and infects the other party, it will be irreparable. Many local governments may be concerned that this is not the case. "



He pointed out that the American track and field team, to which the world's top athletes belong, decided to cancel the pre-camp in Chiba prefecture, and there is a possibility that the cancellation will continue to spread. The tournament may not be held unless it is canceled and the overseas team goes straight to the Olympic Village and returns to their own country. "



Regarding the impact of the cancellation of the pre-camp on the Games, "The basic idea of ​​the Olympic Games is to contribute to world peace through international exchange, and the host town was the most central project. It's a big minus to be unable to do it, "he said, expressing concern that the significance of the Games would diminish.



Furthermore, regarding the competition, "Adjustment before the competition has a big impact on the athletes, and if it fails, the disadvantage is too great. A country close to Japan and with a small time difference may be advantageous, so the equality of the competition It is quite possible that expectations for the tournament will be further diminished because it seems that we will not be able to show the best competition in the world. "