Delegation of maximum six allowed in opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics
NEW DELHI The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will allow only a delegation of sixofficials from each participating nations to take part in the opening ceremonyof the Tokyo Olympics next year, IOC’s Tokyo Olympic Games CoordinationCommission chairman John Coates has said.
Coates, who attended aproject review with the Tokyo 2020 organisers and the IPC on Wednesday, saidthat the number at the opening event will not be cut.
“We don’t want to changethe tradition that all athletes have the opportunity to parade at the openingceremony,” Coates told reporters at a press conference.
The athletes’ places areusually filled by officials from their national Olympic committees if theychoose to focus on their preparation for their competitions, but next year thiswill not happen.
“The IOC Executive Boardhas already discussed this and we won’t allow it this time,” Coates said. “Thiswill increase the problem at the ceremony.”
“We want to see theathletes from all 206 delegations and the refugee team in the opening ceremony… The number of officials is limited to six.”
Tokyo 2020 presidentYoshiro Mori is pessimistic about the possibility of seeing all participatingathletes march into the Olympic Stadium, although he admitted that the paradein the opening ceremony is their “prerogative” and “no one can deprive them of theirright”.
“We have to have a secureand safe games,” he said, adding that people need to make some “sacrifice”.
Mori said that it is stilltoo early to make decisions because it might be not a problem to worry about.
“Maybe we should ask theopinions of the athletes,” Mori said. “Are they really eager to participate inthe parade? Maybe they want to win the gold medals. Athletes may have differentideals. We should know their true feeling.”
Coates believed that asophisticated and rapid testing method will solve all the problems.
“We could do 40,000 to50,000 tests a day of athletes at the moment,” he said. “It may be a quicksolution. That could be the answer for us.”
Coates said that measuresshould be taken to avoid an “overpopulated” Olympic village and suggested thatnot only the athletes but also all referees should be tested.
When asked if hediscourages athletes to go out of the Olympic village for sightseeing, theAustralian said, “Yes.”
“The athletes willunderstand their responsibility, to abide by the rules, which will guaranteetheir safety,” he said.
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