Fake cheers, empty seats and the sound of pounding feet: welcome to the COVID-era Tokyo Olympics.
TOKYO, Japan -- Fake cheers, empty seats and the sound of pounding feet: welcome to the COVID-era Tokyo Olympics, which Japan seems determined to hold at all costs.
A fanfare of music greeted the end of the race, before the runners quickly departed down the tunnel, leaving a smattering of media and officials in the otherwise empty stadium. Although the test events are unusual, they lend weight to the argument that the Olympics can be held despite the pandemic, which has left Tokyo and other areas under a state of emergency.
And a poll by the Yomiuri Shimbun daily found 59 percent of respondents want to cancel the postponed 2020 Games, which will open on July 23. The poll did not offer the option of a further postponement. "I felt beyond safe," said Gatlin. "I've been tested every day, either saliva or nasal swab every morning.
"The most disappointing thing is that we can't breathe any fresh air. That's a really big burden for the athletes and trainers," he told reporters.
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