No vaccine rules for Tokyo 2020 Olympics

International athletes face a raft of restrictive rules, but will not have to be vaccinated to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Olympic rings outside the Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

International athletes will not have to be vaccinated to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games in July, but will face coronavirus testing every four days, Tokyo 2020 organisers have revealed in new rules for the postponed games.

In addition, spectators, if there are any, and team officials will be banned from chanting, singing or yelling support during the competition. Instead people have been told they are to clap.

If athletes and officials break the rules, which include wearing masks in most non-competition areas, they could be expelled from the Games.

In a shot of fresh confidence that the Games will go ahead starting on July 23, Olympic organisers have released the first of a series of “playbooks’’ which detail a raft of COVID-19 countermeasures that athletes will have to adhere to before, during and after competition.

International Olympic Committee executive director Christophe Dubi was bullish about the Games proceeding, saying “the foundations are in place, they are very solid indeed’’. He said that “from a technical standpoint we are very confident (of the Games going ahead)” although he acknowledged there were a lot of questions to be resolved.

While athletes will be pleased the Games are to proceed regardless of their vaccination status they may be disappointed that one of the main features of Olympic competition – staying in the Olympic village – will be a changed experience. Instead of enjoying two-and-a-half weeks of mingling with other athletes from around the world, this year’s edition will see athletes flown in for the shortest possible period to complete their competitions.

Olympic athletes will face pre-travel, arrival covid-19 tests and tests every four days, as Olympic playbooks are released listing new rules.

— Jacquelin Magnay (@jacquelinmagnay) February 3, 2021

The Australian Olympic Committee is working with Qantas to organise a series of flights to shuttle Australia’s athletes to and from Tokyo.

Organisers say that athletes will have to produce a negative coronavirus test before leaving their home country to travel to Tokyo and then undergo regular tests every four days. They will also be confined – almost in a lockdown situation – to a bubble comprising of the Olympic village, their transport buses and their competition arenas.

Organisers said the playbooks have been developed by Tokyo 2020, the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee alongside advice from international and Japanese health experts.

Pierre Ducrey, the IOC games operations director said that the new rules listed in the playbooks – and which could be changed in later editions – include details on smart phone applications for health monitoring and contract tracing, plus information on how to deal with positive cases.

He added that in line with discussions held with the national Olympic committees athletes would not require vaccinations to participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The first playbook that has been published, for officials, says: “You will not be required to have received a vaccine in order to participate in the Games – and all of the rules outlined in this Playbook will apply, whether or not you have received the vaccine.’’

Ducrey said: “The Games will be different,’’ adding that “a number of restraints will impact on the athlete experience, particularly their social experience of what an Olympic Games can be.

“Health and safety is the top priority and those conditions will have to be respected for us to deliver on this mission.’’

In Japan there has been lukewarm public support for the Games to proceed.

Hidemasa Nakumura, the Tokyo 2020 Games delivery officer said: “we have to change the way we deliver the Games because for the public the higher priority is health.’’

Athletes, officials and broadcasters may also face further restrictions for the first 14 days upon arrival their in Japan, but these rules are still being worked out.