Tokyo Olympics 2021: Journos warned they will be kicked out of Tokyo if they don't follow the rules
Olympic officials have issued a warning to international media in Tokyo - behave, or you're out, with organisers already investigating reports of bad behaviour.
Badly behaved foreign officials and media have been warned to get their act together or get thrown out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after several breaches of strict Covid-19 rules.
News Corp can reveal Tokyo 2020 Organisers have been forced to issue several “strict warnings” to accreditation holders for breaking the Olympic Games’ tight Covid-19 rules.
No accreditation passes have been torn up, however Tokyo organisers said they would not hesitate to evict visitors who break the rules.
A police officer patrols in Tokyo.
“We have been working to identify the facts behind any suspected violations we have been aware (of), including cases alleged by the media to have taken place or reported by members of the public,” organisers said.
“We have imposed strict penalties in the event that acts contravening the provisions of the Playbooks were confirmed to have taken place.”
“There have been cases where strict warnings were issued and where individuals were required to pledge in written form that they would henceforth obey the Playbook rules.”
The majority of Japanese residents are opposed to holding the Olympic Games while Tokyo grapples with its fourth Covid-19 state of emergency.
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach last week said there was “zero risk” people involved in Tokyo’s Olympics would infect Japanese residents due to the rapid detection and isolation of cases.
There are now 87 cases of Covid-19 linked to the Olympic Games – with 39 foreigners infected.
Temperatures of athletes and accredited people are being monitored at the athletes' village and venues.
Movements of officials and media involved in the Olympics are heavily restricted for the first two weeks after they enter Japan – with patrons permitted to only attend Olympic Games venues approved in the Playbook.
Foreign officials and media are being tracked via GPS to ensure they do not leave the approved Olympic bubble - which security guards placed at each hotel to check movements.
“We believe it is necessary to promptly identify any suspected violations of Playbook regulations, determine the facts, and respond with robust measures, including penalties,” organisers said.
“In particular, we need to take the initiative in responding to cases that pose risks or cause concern to the citizens of Tokyo and Japan.”
About 80,000 officials, media and support staff are expected to arrive in Japan for the Olympic Games – staying in 150 hotels.
Australia has pulled off a massive Olympic upset, knocking of Argentina 2-0.
The Olyroos looked composed, skilled and up for the challenge from the get-go and deservedly went ahead through captain Lachie Wales in the 14th minute.
Several chances went begging – including an incredible bicycle kick from Riley McGree – but things tilted further in their favour when Argentine star Francisco Ortega copped two yellow cards in moments and was given his marching orders.
From there, Argentina never really looked like it and, when super sub Marco Tilio fired in, moments after taking the field, the result was beyond doubt.
Wales said after the match the Olyroos "shocked the world" and he was looking forward to doing it again when they face another giant in Spain.
The Olyroos are now top of what coach Graham Arnold has dubbed the 'Group of Dreams'.
Marco Tilio put the icing on the Aussies’ win.
Super sub puts Aussies 2-0 up
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With his second touch about 30 seconds after coming off the bench, Marco Tilio has driven the knife into Argentina, putting the Aussies up 2-0.
The Olyroos have had a number of chances go begging, including an insane bicycle kick from Riley McGree, but diminutive Tilio made no mistake with his first Olympic chance.
The Aussies are now in the box seat to pull off what many thought was unthinkable before the game began.
Olympic blue over no-jab swimmer
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-AFP
US Olympic officials on Thursday defended maverick swimmer Michael Andrew’s refusal to receive a coronavirus vaccination for the Tokyo Games, denying it had caused a rift among the American team. Andrew, 22, has been outspoken about rejecting Covid-19 jabs, telling reporters last month he “didn’t want to put anything in my body that I didn’t know how I would potentially react to”. He also declared in an interview last week that “as an American, I’m representing my country in multiple ways (including) the freedoms we have to make a decision like that”. Andrew’s stance has drawn criticism from retired US swim star Maya DiRado, who said her compatriot was putting his own beliefs before the health of his teammates. “That Michael would make a decision that puts even a bit of risk on his teammates for his own perceived wellbeing frustrates me,” DiRado, a two-time gold medallist at the 2016 Rio Games, wrote on social media. The US swim team men’s head coach Dave Durden said he had no issues with the decision taken by Andrew, who qualified for his first Olympics in the 50m freestyle, 100m breaststroke and 200m individual medley.
“I feel very comfortable about what he’s doing, where he’s at and how he’s operating,” Durden told reporters in Tokyo, which is under a state of emergency due to a spike of infections in recent weeks. “He’s doing awesome and now we’re just focused on getting him swimming fast.” Asked how Andrew’s teammates and the wider community of athletes in the Olympic Village felt, Durden replied: “(There’s) no resentment and we’ve felt no vibe with it.” Durden said Andrew was abiding by the strict health protocols in place for the Games, including extensive Covid-19 testing, masking and social distancing. “It’s a team thing that we really support each other on and Michael’s no different in that regard,” he said. Andrew has followed an unconventional path since turing professional at just 14, training using a race-paced concept that features much less distance swimming at race speed and does not include weights. The Tokyo Olympics were delayed for a year because of the pandemic and there have already been dozens of Games-related coronavirus cases ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony
Olympic soccer results: France smacked by Mexico
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-AFP
France’s bid for men’s Olympic football glory got off to a nightmare start with a 4-1 defeat by Mexico on Thursday, while a strong Spain side stuttered to a goalless stalemate with Egypt. Sylvain Ripoll’s France are looking for a first Olympic medal since winning gold in 1984, but collapsed in the second half at the Tokyo Stadium. Mexico took the lead less than two minutes after the break at the Tokyo Stadium through Alexis Vega, before Sebastian Cordova doubled the advantage in the 55th minute. The 35-year-old captain Andre-Pierre Gignac, whose last game for the French senior team was the Euro 2016 final loss to Portugal, pulled one back from the penalty spot with 21 minutes remaining. But any thoughts of a comeback were quashed as Uriel Antuna and Eduardo Aguirre netted late on for 2012 champions Mexico. France now face a tough task to get out of Group A with a top-two finish, ahead of games against Covid-hit South Africa on Sunday and hosts Japan on July 28. Spain also struggled in Sapporo, as a team featuring six players who reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals dominated possession but created few chances against Egypt. The closest they came to a goal was when Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, who recently spent two seasons on loan at Arsenal, crashed a first-half shot against the post. Spain, winners on home soil in 1992, next take on Australia in three days’ time before their final Group C match with Argentina. New Zealand made a successful start in Group B as Burnley striker Chris Wood, one of the three over-age players in the squad, secured a 1-0 victory over South Korea in Kashima with his 72nd-minute winner.
Ugly draw makes path to gold tough for Barty
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In Tokyo, all roads lead to Osaka for Ash Barty who, despite receiving a treacherous draw, looked in peak condition as she seeks to add a historic Olympic gold to her growing trophy collection. Barty, still riding a high after her Wimbledon triumph, will have to do it the hard way after Thursday’s draw threw up plenty of hurdles en route to a potential final with local favourite, and the fiercest challenger for Barty’s world No.1 crown, Naomi Osaka.
The Olyroos' chances of an upset victory over Argentina have been enhanced with star defender Francisco slapped with a red card after two offences late in the first half. The referee showed yellow after a crude tackle on Aussie speedster Nathaniel Atkinson right before the end of the first half. As the Aussies set up for a free kick, the Argentine jostled with Riley McGree in the box, the referee showing another yellow and giving Ortega his marching orders. It's a huge boost for the Olyroos, who already enjoy a 1-0 half-time lead. Can they hold on?
Drug Tester admits cheats could prosper in Tokyo
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-Callum Dick and Jacquelin Magnay
Olympic drug cheats in Tokyo could slip through the net more easily as athletes head home immediately after competing. International Testing Agency director general Benjamin Cohen conceded the Covid-19 measures in place across the Games would make in-competition testing difficult when the window officially begins following the opening ceremony on Friday. “The ITA plans to collect approximately 5000 samples over the Games,” Cohen said. “The split between out-of-competition is 1500 and 3500 in-competition. “We anticipate that it will be a bit less given the Covid measures in place, the athletes staying for a shorter period of time in the village and the logistical constraints we face.” Gaps in testing windows as a result of the pandemic has been a major concern ahead of the Tokyo Games.
Win or lose, Simone Biles has already claimed a slice of history at the Tokyo Olympics. The reigning all-around champion — long-regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time — has become the first athlete to be awarded their own emoji on Twitter. The social media platform announced Wednesday that it had given Biles her own emoji — a goat wearing a leotard and a gold medal. The symbol is a reference to Biles’ status as the “G.O.A.T: Greatest of all time” — a tag the 24-year-old Olympian has embraced in recent years.
“Witness greatness. Tweet with greatness,” the official Twitter Sports account wrote in announcing the emoji. The symbol is generated by inputting #SimoneBiles or #Simone in Tweets. Biles recently began competing in a leotard decorated with silver rhinestones in the shape of a goat’s head. The American star — who has dubbed her personal goat character ‘Goldie’ — says the leotard design is meant to inspire others. “I just hope that kids growing up watching this don’t or aren’t ashamed of being good at whatever they do,” she said in a recent interview. “I want kids to learn that, yes, it’s okay to acknowledge that you’re good or even great at something.”
You wouldn't believe it, but Australia has scored first against the might of Argentina. Lachie Wales has knocked one in at the back post just 14 minutes in. This is an exciting moment for Australian football and could be the start of a bombshell upset. The Aussies were given no hope by the bookies – they were $7 to win before the match at TAB.
Olyroos in action
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-Joe Barton
Ending a 13-year wait to feature on the Olympic stage again, the Olyroos aren’t going to go quietly. With a squad largely made up of young domestic talent and in a group featuring traditional football heavyweights Argentina and Spain, the road to the knockout games looks extremely rocky. However coach Graham Arnold, who has been bullish from the get-go about his team’s potential, believes there’s more than traditional Olympic glory on offer in the coming fortnight. With half of Australia – NSW, Victoria and South Australia – all struggling through Covid-enforced lockdowns, Arnold wants his team to raise the spirits off those suffering back home. “We come into this with great expectations to go further in the tournament and win games. “I truly believe a lot in this group. In the players that we’ve got … They’ve got great energy. And they’re ready to shock the world,” Arnold said. “At this moment, a lot of Australians are in lockdown with Covid and we want to put a smile on their faces.” Since announcing his squad last month, Arnold’s upbeat message to anyone who will listen is that his team will ‘shock the world’ in Tokyo. They’ll get their first chance in Sapporo on Thursday as heavy underdogs when they face an Argentina team that roared to Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008 with the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Angel di Maria. While those familiar names won’t be in Tokyo, Argentina will hope to unleash its next generation of stars in the form of midfield duo Alexis Mac Allister and Fausto Vera and the Messi-like Thiago Almada. But Australia, too, have stars ready to “do something special”, Arnold argues. “I expect some of our players to take the tournament by storm,” he said. “We’ve got a great, talented squad. We respect the opposition. We know what their strengths are and where they’re too exposed, their weaknesses, so it’s more the focus on our own performance. “I just expect these boys to do something special. There’s great belief in the squad. “That is so crucial, the boys mentally believing heavily that we can shock the world and that is the intention. “In the past and probably for the last 20 years, just to make the Olympics was seen by Australians to be a success. We’re not just here to make up the numbers, we’re here to show the rest of the world what we can do.”
The hunt is on at the Pasifika Youth Rugby Cup for a slew of special teenagers to fill two President’s XV teams for a new girls U16s and U18s event. What coaches want to see from players
As the dust settles on a marathon first round, clubs will turn their attention to the remainder of the national draft. So, who might get picked up on Tuesday night? Here’s everything you need to know.
