Organizers of the Tokyo Olympics banned all spectators from events in the capital city, where a state of emergency was declared Thursday amid surging COVID-19 cases there.
Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee, said it was “regrettable” that the sporting event would be held in a limited format in the capital.
“A very heavy judgment was made,” she said at a press briefing, adding that due to the pandemic, they had “no choice but to hold the Games in a limited way,” ABC News reported.
“There are many people who were looking forward to the Games. Those people who purchased tickets as well as the local community people.
She offered her apologies to those who had already bought tickets to the Games.
“We are very sorry we are able to delivery only a limited version of the games but we want to have through operations to ensure a safe and secure games so that the people world over will be able to find the Olympic and Paralympic ideals,” Seiko said.
The committee, however, said spectators may still be considered for venues outside of Tokyo.
The move, which was announced after months of debate, comes just two weeks before the opening Games on July 23.
It followed talks between government officials, Tokyo organizers and Olympic and paralympic representatives.
Organizers had already banned foreign fans months ago from attending the Summer Games, but waffled on whether to allow a local audience amid concerns that ticket refunds would force the event to seek a $800-million-dollar bailout.
Experts have called on the Games for weeks to prohibit fans, saying it was the least risky option to prevent a new wave of infections.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the state of emergency in Tokyo will go into effect Monday and last through Aug. 22. The Games run through Aug. 8.
The emergency measures request that all bars and restaurants serving alcohol close — a move seen as an attempt to limit Olympic celebrations and encourage fans to watch the events on TV from home.
“How to stop people enjoying the Olympics from going out for drinks is a main issue,” Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said.
Experts have warned that daily cases could surge to 1,000 in Tokyo before the Games and into the thousands in August.
On Wednesday, Tokyo recorded 920 new infections, up from 714 last week.
Japan has recorded about 800,000 cases and nearly 14,900 fatalities — though only 15 percent of the country has been fully vaccinated against the virus, a figure much lower than the around 47 percent in the US and nearly 40 percent in the United Kingdom.
With Post wires