What Happened In Tokyo With 4 Days Left Until Olympic Games Open

The infections come despite International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said last week there was “zero” risk of athletes passing on the virus to Japanese or other residents of the village. But that bold statement was already being tested.

The delayed Games will be held largely behind closed doors, with spectators told on July 8 not to travel to Japan as virus cases in the country - particularly Tokyo - soar. Vaccinated star athletes, packs of reporters, IOC officials, volunteers and handlers will still be at the event - tested daily for the virus - determined to push ahead despite a state of emergency in the city.

The event has caused a stir in Tokyo and Japan, with the majority of the public against the Olympics going ahead. Hundreds of protesters gathered Sunday outside Shinjuku station in central Tokyo, where many of the athletes will travel through, waving signs that read “No Olympics.”

Samuelson, who is a member of the Seattle Storm, was part of the first-ever Olympic 3x3 women’s basketball competition.

Samuelson said she was “fully vaccinated and took every precaution” against COVID-19.

“Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and I hope someday soon, I can comeback to realize that dream,” Samuelson wrote in an Instagram post. “I wish nothing but the best to my USAB teammates as they go out there and crush it. I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way.”

The team’s first game is scheduled for Saturday against France. Samuelson’s spot on the roster was filled by Jackie Young.

IOC President Thomas Bach said during a news conference in Tokyo Saturday that Hubbard is qualified to compete under the current IOC rules.

“The rules for qualification have been established by the International Weightlifting Federation before the qualifications started,” Bach said. “These rules apply, and you cannot change rules during ongoing competitions.”

However, Bach said that the current rules are under review.

“At the same time, the IOC is in an inquiry phase with all different stakeholders … to review these rules and finally to come up with some guidelines which cannot be rules, because this is a question where there is no one-size-fits-all solution,” he said. “It differs from sport to sport.”

Hubbard will be the first trans athlete to compete in the Olympics after the Games started allowing transgender athletes in 2004.

According to current IOC guidelines, transgender female athletes must have testosterone levels are below 10 nanomoles per litre for at least 12 months before their first competition in order to compete.

Psaki said the U.S. delegation is aware of the COVID-19 cases among athletes but is “monitoring the situation.” She said their team will be following “very strict safety and health protocols,” including limited engagement with the public and “keeping our footprint as small as possible.”

“Public health remains a central priority for the games,” she said. “The government of Japan and the IOC [Internatioanl Olympic Committee] have very strict protocols and they’re taking careful safety precautions to keep the athletes and the public safe.”

There were talks of a summit between Moon and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to repair bilateral ties between the two nations.

However, the two leaders failed to set up a summit and Moon’s office said their talks were damaged by a “last-minute obstacle,” according to the Associated Press.

“The Tokyo Olympics are a festival of peace for people around the world, and we hope that Japan holds the Olympics safely and successfully,” Park Soo Hyun, Moon’s spokesperson said.

“We also hope our athletes, despite the difficult conditions, fully display the skills they have developed in competition and return home healthy,” he added.

This announcement comes after reports that Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, made lewd remarks towards Moon.

According to JTBC, a South Korean cable channel, Soma said Moon would be “masturbating” if he thinks he would have a summit during the Olympics because Suga “does not have the time to care about bilateral relations as much as South Korea hopes.”

Suga called the comment “very inappropriate and regrettable” and told reporters hopes to “continue to communicate firmly” with South Korea to restore a healthy relationship.

Perušič, who said he was vaccinated, is the second member of the Czech delegation to test positive in Tokyo.

He and his playing partner are scheduled to kick off their Olympic play against Latvia. Czech team leader Martin Doktor said in a statement they would ask to postpone the game until Perušič is cleared to play.

Al Fong, the personal coach of Eaker and fellow Olympic alternate Leanne Wong, confirmed the positive test to the Associated Press.

Both Eaker and Wong have been placed in isolation.

Fong said Eaker was vaccinated against coronavirus two months ago.

The positive test came after Eaker received what was described as a “false positive” over the weekend, the AP reported. Eaker took a subsequent test that was negative before testing positive again multiple times.

Keigo Oyamada, 52, also known as Cornelius, issued an apology on Twitter on July 16 before he officially resigned.

“I sincerely accept the opinions and advice I have received, express my gratitude, and will keep them in mind for my future actions and thoughts,” he said. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

In two music magazines published in the 1990s, Rockin’ On Japan and Quick Japan, Oyamada reportedly boasted about bullying a classmate with disabilities at school in graphic detail.

The Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee did not take action after these past interviews surfaced. CEO Toshiro Muto said the Committee had no knowledge of the allegations prior to hiring him for the opening ceremony.

“We understand that he apologized and it is true that we didn’t know about this,” Muto said at a news conference Saturday. “We wish him to continue with his participation.”

“He is sorry for his past actions, and he has said that he wants to act with higher moral standards,” he added.