Established 1961 15 Wednesday, January 27, 2021 Sports Sports face vaccine dilemma ahead of Olympics, Euros ‘Extremely tough’ precautions for non-vaccinated athletes

PARIS: As Olympic organizers deny reports that the returned positive COVID-19 tests, the local authori- Tokyo Games this summer will be postponed again, ties ordered everyone on board into 14-day quaran- they, and other sports bodies, are wrestling with the tine. Some 72 players remain in lockdown. issue of vaccinating participants for COVID-19 at Turkmenistan, which claims to have no COVID- international events. On Monday, Denis Masseglia, 19 cases, said last week it plans to vaccinate foreign the president of the French National Olympic athletes competing in Davis Cup qualifying and at Committee, said there was no choice but to vacci- the Track Cycling World Championships in October. nate and that “holding the Games is at stake.” The Central Asian state said it would provide the The International Olympic Committee (IOC) offi- vaccines for free and give athletes the choice of cially has been more cautious ahead of the Tokyo which type they want. Games, scheduled for July 23 to August 8. It encour- Japan is trying to balance safety against com- ages the vaccination of athletes but says it cannot pulsory vaccination. “We are considering compre- impose inoculation. IOC president Thomas Bach has hensive measures to hold a safe and secure games, said there would be “neither a vaccine obligation even without making vaccines a condition,” nor a priority to athletes” for this summer’s Katsunobu Kato, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, told Olympics. Bach cannot impose tests “for legal rea- a press conference last week. Tokyo organizers sons”, said Masseglia. say their Games has cost 1.64 trillion yen ($15.9 The Games will be on agenda of the IOC billion). Bach has called the Games a “light at the Executive Board today. “For those who do not wish end of the tunnel” for humanity and some in the to be vaccinated, it is important to know that the industry argue they should go ahead. precautions for participation will be extremely Football’s European championships, which like tough,” said Masseglia in a video press conference, the Olympics were due to take place last year, are warning of “quarantine of a fortnight” and “tests in scheduled in June and July. No decision has yet the mornings and evenings.” been made about vaccinations and there is debate While vaccination programs are kicking into about whether to stick to the plan to play matches gear around the globe, they are still focusing on in 12 countries. “It’s too soon to take a decision,” those facing the highest risk, so the question of a UEFA spokesman said, adding that the subject TOKYO: A pedestrian walks past a traffic sign next to an official Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ban- whether elite athletes should be a priority is, for would come under “consideration for the medical ner hanging on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on January 22, 2021. —AFP now, awkward. “This is not an issue about the protocol of the Euro”. Olympics, it is about an issue of how we use a scarce resource to try and combat what has obvi- ‘Not high risk’ one else’s life,” said Hartung. reassured,” he said. “The sooner, the better.” ously been one of the most devastating health crises Athletes and sports administrators have offered Steve Solomon, a 400-metre runner who is Masseglia pointed out that the situation would of our time,” said World Health Organization senior contrasting opinions. “We’re fairly young, fit peo- captain of Australia’s Olympic team, summed up have changed by the summer. “It’s out of the advisor Bruce Aylward. There is also the question of ple who would not be considered high risk for the dilemmas. “My preference would be to get question that athletes should be given priority the impact of international visitors. In Japan, which COVID,” British Paralympic cyclist Neil Fachie vaccinated before I go to Japan, certainly,” over other categories of population, but between reportedly plans to start mass vaccinations in May, told the BBC. “The last thing you want to do is Solomon told The Guardian. “If I am not vacci- now and the Games we can assume that it is pos- a quarter of the population is over 65 and 12.5 per- take a vaccine away from someone who needs it nated by then, I will still go... I firmly believe sible to have them vaccinated without penalizing cent are over 75. far more. Should we get offered the vaccine then I that the vaccine needs to be given first to those other people,” he said. imagine I would take it, but there’s definitely a parts of the population that are most vulnerable In Russia, the sports ministry told AFP that the ‘Comprehensive measures’ question mark of am I really deserving or not?” to the coronavirus. Athletes are not part of that plan to “vaccinate athletes of national teams” The Olympics are not the only event facing these That view is shared by fencer Max Hartung population.” would be a priority for those “preparing to partic- dilemmas in an international sports calendar filled who doubles up as chairman of the German Former marathon world record holder Paul ipate” in the Olympics. In theory, Russia’s ‘national with rescheduled events. After a handful of people Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission. “No Tergat, now the head of the Kenyan Olympic com- teams’ are banned from Tokyo. The ministry said, on three chartered flights taking tennis players to athlete will tell someone who has a higher health mittee, agrees. “We want everyone going to Tokyo however, that the vaccination program would be Melbourne ahead of next month’s Australian Open risk that their sport is more important than some- to get vaccinated early enough for them to be “voluntary”. —AFP Will they, won’t they? Key News in brief questions for troubled Olympics ‘Athletes will be vaccinated’ LONDON: Mo Farah said yesterday he will get TOKYO: The world’s ongoing coron- last year’s postponement — has said the chance for a fifth Olympic gold medal later avirus crisis and plunging public sup- she would prefer it to be held with no this year despite the coronavirus pandemic as port in Japan have raised fears that fans than not at all. the Tokyo Games will go ahead and athletes the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed Top US gymnast Simone Biles said have been told they will be vaccinated. The 37- last year and now due to start in July, the decision had to be based on year-old Somalia-born British track legend may be cancelled. As Japanese and “what’s safe for the world”, but added added he will treat the 10,000 meters as just International Olympic Committee offi- she was “hoping the Olympics can be “another race.” There has been speculation the cials insist the Games will go ahead, put on, even if it means we’re in a Games already postponed from last year would here are the major questions sur- bubble”. But Japanese gymnastics star be cancelled due to a resurgence of the virus rounding cancellation: Kohei Uchimura sounded a note of globally. However, International Olympic caution, saying the event “can’t be Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach and What are officials saying? held if the athletes and the people the Japanese government have stood firm say- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide don’t feel the same way”. ing the Games will go ahead as planned. They Suga said Friday he was “determined” TOKYO: In this file photo taken on January 13, 2021 the National Stadium, are due to run from July 23 to August 8. - AFP to hold the Games this July, while a What would cancellation cost? main venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is pictured government spokesman dismissed a Tokyo 2020’s latest budget was from Shibuya Sky observation deck, in Tokyo. —AFP report claiming officials see cancella- revealed as 1.64 trillion yen ($15.8 bil- tion as inevitable. lion) in December — up 294 billion yen How would Japan’s suitable,” said Tobias Harris, a Japan Italy avoids ban International Olympic Committee ($2.8 billion) because of costs linked to government react? analyst at Teneo Intelligence. president Thomas Bach said last week the delay and virus countermeasures. Suga, who has only been in office ROME: Italy’s government yesterday pushed there was “no reason whatsoever” for There are suggestions the final price- since September, has seen his What would it mean through a decree guaranteeing the independ- the event not to go ahead, but also tag may be significantly higher, possi- approval ratings nosedive over his for Olympic sports? ence of the national Olympic Committee admitted it may involve fewer fans, or bly making the event the most expen- handling of the coronavirus. The The IOC has vast reserves that (CONI) to offset the threat of a ban from the even be held behind closed doors. sive Summer Olympics in history. greater Tokyo region and several have allowed it to cope with post- Olympic Games. The International Olympic Decisions on whether to allow Calculating the cost of cancellation other parts of the country are under ponement, but experts say cancella- Committee’s (IOC) Executive Committee overseas fans, and how full venues will is complicated, especially as running a state of emergency until February tion would have disastrous conse- meets in Lausanne today with Italy facing be, are set to be taken in the coming the Games only accounts for about 0.1 7, but the government has been quences for individual sports. Many sanctions for not respecting national sporting months. percent of Japan’s GDP. Tomoaki Iwai, accused of waiting too long to national and international sporting body CONI’s independence. “The Council of a political science professor at Nihon impose the measure and of mixed federations would find themselves in Ministers has approved the decree which What do athletes think? University, said cancellation could messaging. financial danger, with some relying on guarantees the autonomy of CONI,” sports Athlete pressure was seen as a have a “tremendous economic Polls show around 80 percent of IOC payouts to survive. minister Vincenzo Spadafora announced. driving force behind last year’s post- impact” at a time when coronavirus is the public oppose holding the Games Athletes who have trained for years “Now the last word is up to the Parliament to ponement, with the Australian and already a major headwind. this year, so a cancellation might not to appear on the Olympic stage would make it law.” The emergency decree was Canadian Olympic committees pulling “The tourism sector and related be all bad news for Suga politically. “It find their hopes dashed, with many approved shortly before the resignation of their teams out days before the deci- businesses would see huge damage,” would strike me that the political risks unsure whether they’ll be able to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Global gov- sion was made. This time, Australia, he said. But other analysts argue of holding the Games and having them qualify for the next Games, Paris 2024. erning body the IOC, which warned Rome in Canada and the United States have tourism and spending linked to the result in a new outbreak are greater Cancellation would also deal a blow the summer of 2019 of the risks of government come out in support of the Games, Games is not that significant, meaning than admitting that the risks are too to the Olympics’ image in an era when interference in the management of CONI, puts and Greek pole vault champion a cancellation would not necessarily great and working with the IOC to fewer cities have been coming for- great emphasis on the independence of Katerina Stefanidi — who led calls for involve massive losses. find some alternative plan that is more ward to host the costly Games. —AFP national Olympic committees, a key element of its Olympic Charter. —AFP dows in my room that is barely 15 COVID-infected square meters (160 square feet),” she said, in comments published on Florida offers to host Olympics tennis star slams Monday. “It’s obvious that the only ‘pitiful’ quarantine thing I breathe in is the virus. I have MIAMI: Florida’s chief financial officer on asked for cleaning products, like a vac- Monday told the International Olympic MELBOURNE: A Spanish tennis player uum cleaner, but they haven’t given me Committee that the state would be happy to who attracted criticism for hitting out at anything.” host the Olympics Games amid speculation coronavirus quarantine rules and then Tournament organizers previously that current hosts Japan may back out. Jimmy testing positive has complained she is said they were providing exercise Patronis sent a letter to Thomas Bach, the head being forced to endure “pitiful” condi- equipment for players, many of whom of the IOC, “to encourage you to consider tions ahead of the Australian Open. turned their rooms into makeshift gyms relocating the 2021 Olympics from Tokyo, World number 67 Paula Badosa told and have been hitting balls against hotel Japan to the United States of America, and Spanish newspaper Marca she felt walls. But Badosa said she had been more specifically to Florida.” The letter, signed abandoned in a small Melbourne hotel waiting five days for training equipment by Patronis and posted online, cited the sup- room after being diagnosed with the to be sent to her room. “I feel aban- posed strength of state’s vaccination roll-out, virus. The 23-year-old was among sev- doned because I don’t have the material its economic re-opening and sports events it eral players who complained about to train with, that I asked for five days has hosted during the pandemic, as well as the their quarantine ahead of the delayed, ago,” she said. “They don’t inform me MELBOURNE: A cleaner wipes down the net after a player’s practise ses- fact that its theme parks, including Disney sion in Melbourne on January 25, 2021, with players allowed to train while season-opening Grand Slam, before about the type of virus I have, even World, are open for business. But Florida has though after three days it is known. No serving quarantine for two weeks ahead of the Australian Open tennis struggled badly in the coronavirus pandemic, apologizing on Twitter last week. tournament. —AFP But in a new salvo Badosa, who was information about the tournament.” with over 25,000 deaths so far in the state as moved to a different hotel after testing Some players, including men’s world the US death toll nears 420,000. “Whatever positive, told Marca the Melbourne number one Novak Djokovic, who is Badosa was one of 72 players confined ed on their flights to Australia. Other precautions are required let’s figure it out and quarantine was one of the worst expe- quarantining in Adelaide, have taken to their hotel rooms for 14 days on players were allowed out to train for get it done,” Patronis said. —AFP riences of her career. “I don’t have win- issue with the lockdown arrangements. arrival after positive cases were detect- five hours a day. —AFP