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| ▲ IOC President Bach (on screen) and Chairman of Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee Hashimoto Seiko [Reuter=Yonhapnews] |
Seoul, May 19 (Yonhap) -- International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said the IOC is willing to send medical staff to Japan ahead of the opening of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, about two months away.
Bach said at an online coordination committee between the IOC and Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee on the 19th, the help would come from various national Olympic committees and be available in the Olympic village and sports venues.
In his 12-minute address, Bach said, "For obvious reasons we cannot give them (athletes) every detail yet, but the most important principle is very clear: the Olympic Village is a safe place and the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be organized in a safe way."
He anticipated more than 80% of those staying in the Olympic Village would be vaccinated, saying hundreds of sports events have been held safely during the pandemic, and cited recent test events in Tokyo that came off without many problems.
However, the Associated Press said, "Between 1-2% of Japanese are fully vaccinated, and its unlikely that even the elderly population will be fully vaccinated before the Olympics end on Aug. 8."
The media also reported that the 6,000-member Tokyo Medical Practitioners' Association called for the Olympics to be canceled in a letter sent last week to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa, and Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the organizing committee.
"We believe the correct choice is to the cancel an event that has the possibility of increasing the numbers of infected people and deaths,'' the letter said. "Viruses are spread by people's movements. Japan will hold a heavy responsibility if the Olympics and Paralympics work to worsen the pandemic, increasing the number of those who must suffer and die.''
The AP also pointed out that "Much of Japan, including Tokyo and Osaka, is under a state of emergency, which forced Bach to cancel a trip to Japan this month. Opposition to the Olympics is running at 60-80% in numerous polls, depending on how the question is phrased."
The IOC and the organizing committee will review the preparations for the upcoming three days from July 19 to 21.
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