With the end of the Games, is Japan putting the hola on major sporting events?
The Tokyo Olympic Stadium, empty, during the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games.
REUTERS - KIM KYUNG-HOON
Text by: David Kalfa Follow
3 min
The Paralympic Games ended on September 5, ending Tokyo 2020. While the health situation remains tense in Japan because of the Covid-19, will the country give up hosting the next major sporting events planned in the? 'Archipelago?
The Suzuka Formula 1 Grand Prix has already been canceled and the FIFA Club World Cup is expected to be relocated.
Advertising
Read more
On September 8, 2021, the Athletes' Village was symbolically closed in Tokyo.
After having hosted the Olympic Games (July 23-August 8) then the Paralympic Games (August 24-September 5), will Japan suddenly turn the page on major sporting events?
Since July 1, 2021, the “Tokyo 2020” organizing committee has identified 878 cases among all those involved (athletes, coaches, officials, media, etc.) in these two major sporting events.
The Japanese authorities have not established a link between the organization of these Games and the substantial increase in cases observed in the Archipelago this summer.
In mid-August, a peak was reached with up to 25,000 cases per day in Japan.
Their number fell to 10,000 daily.
The state of emergency has however been extended in the Japanese capital and its surroundings.
It was thus extended until September 30 in 19 prefectures.
Another sign that the health situation remains tense in the country of the Rising Sun, the Council of the European Union has put in place additional travel restrictions for travelers from Japan.
What about the World Gymnastics Championships and the Tokyo Marathon?
According to the Kyodo News press agency, the local authorities would consider loosening the noose in November.
But, by then, sporting events could suffer from the situation.
Already on August 18, the Suzuka Formula 1 Grand Prix, scheduled for October 10, was canceled for the second year in a row.
On September 9, the Japanese Football Federation (JFA) gave up hosting the FIFA Club World Cup.
"
We have come to the conclusion that it is very difficult to hold the event in this context,
" said the JFA in a statement.
If the Asian Volleyball Championships seem set to be held from September 12 to 19 in Chiba and Funabashi, caution remains in order.
The Japanese Volleyball Federation has revealed that a member of the delegation from Kuwait tested positive upon arrival at Narita airport.
There remains the question of two other major events planned for the next few weeks: the Tokyo marathon (scheduled for October 17), one of the most famous in the world, and the World Championships in artistic gymnastics (October 18 to 24) and rhythmic. (October 27 to 31) in Kitakyūshū. "
On September 17, we will make a decision regarding the 2021 Tokyo Marathon and related events,
" its organizers said, reacting to the extension of the state of emergency. As for the holding of the World
Gymnastics Championships, "we are currently preparing for the event
," replied one of its media managers to rfi.fr.
The final decision will be taken at a meeting of the organizing committee on September 13
”...
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Japan
Sports
Olympic Games
Paralympic Games 2021
Coronavirus