The frequency of disputes continues to accelerate, just over two months before the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games (July 23). As the Japanese archipelago faces an outbreak of Covid-19 cases (almost 75,000 cases, 6 times more than two months ago), a union of Japanese hospital doctors on Wednesday sent a message to its leaders to oppose the holding of the event. This Friday, a petition gathering more than 352,000 signatures followed. Abroad, the United States athletics team has given up on its pre-Olympic training camp which was to take place in the department of Chiba, east of Tokyo.
According to the authorities of this department, the Athletics Federation of the United States has canceled this project "due to concerns over the safety of athletes as the coronavirus pandemic which continues to rage around the world shows no signs of dying. 'weakening'.
The USATF, which is used to preparing its athletes in the host country, also announces "to have provided competitive opportunities locally", and also to have "encouraged the athletes to stay in the United States and to train there. ".
"Protect our lives"
Today's petition, signed by more than 352,000 people online at Change.org, and titled "Cancel the Tokyo Olympics to protect our lives," was launched in early May by Kenji Utsunomiya, a lawyer and former candidate for the post. Governor of Tokyo. She purely and simply calls for the cancellation of the Games, while the pandemic continues to worsen in Japan, where the authorities have just extended the state of emergency in place over part of the country.
In this petition, Kenji Utsunomiya asks Yuriko Koike, the governor of Tokyo, to urge the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to cancel the Games. "This time the question is what we prioritize, life or a ceremony and event called the Olympics," the lawyer told reporters. The IOC has the right to make the decision to cancel the Games or not, but Tokyo, as the host city, should urge it to cancel the Games ”.
Also according to Mr. Utsunomiya, the speed at which this petition has grown "reflects the opinion of the public". Polls conducted since last year indicate that 60 to 70% of the population is opposed to holding the Games this summer. In recent days, several high-ranking Japanese sportsmen, including golfer Hideki Matsuyama and tennis player Naomi Osaka, have expressed reservations about the viability of the Olympics in the midst of a pandemic.
In an interview with AFP Thursday evening, Andrew Parsons, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), for his part assured that there would be "no relaxation of health measures that will preserve the safety of athletes and of the Japanese public ”. Mr Parsons acknowledged that hosting the Tokyo Games may generate "anger" among the Japanese population because of the pandemic, but described the risks of the virus spreading by athletes as "minimal". “The number one priority is the health and safety of everyone at the Games,” he said. I don't think we can relax those restrictions. The last thing we want to do is put Japan's healthcare system in jeopardy right now. "
