Athletes at this summer's Tokyo Olympics will face severe repercussions should they break strict Covid rules announced by organisers on Tuesday.
The 11,000 athletes, support staff and media, must be tested daily and refrain from talking in confined spaces such as elevators or vehicles. The protocols come amid reports that the host and the world's largest city, Tokyo, will be placed under a state of emergency for the duration of the games.
Athletes that fail to comply with the guidelines will face the threat of fines, disqualification, medals being taken away, and even deportation for repeated or “malicious” offences.
The updated protocols come in the third revision of the International Olympic Committee's [IOC] so-called 'playbook', which outlines the various Covid related measures and the penalties associated with non-compliance.
Olympians and their coaches must stay in officially approved accommodation and only travel with approved drivers, who they cannot speak to. Athletes will also have their movement restricted and will be subjected to GPS tracking by officials.
Organisers have confirmed that Olympians that test positive for Covid will not be automatically disqualified, and they will receive a medal should they be entitled to one at the time of their positive test.
The IOC sport's director, Kit McConnell, said, “If an athlete would have taken part in a medal event but cannot, they will receive the minimum level of medal they would have received.
“For example, in a final, they will receive a silver medal. That’s really important from our perspective to reflect the minimum level that athlete or team would have achieved.”
Japanese public opinion is strongly against the staging of the Olympics during the pandemic, with prime minister Yoshihide Suga popularity being significantly damaged.
Suga has received support from fellow international leaders, with the G-7 releasing an official statement that backed the staging of the games.
The statement read, “We look forward to joining with others to reiterate our support for the holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in a safe and secure manner as a symbol of global unity in overcoming Covid-19.”
Read more: No priority for Irish Olympic athletes for vaccines | Minister Jack Chambers
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