AFP, Tokyo :
An international gymnastics competition in Tokyo must succeed with thorough measures against coronavirus infections as “a model” for the delayed Olympic Games, star athlete Kohei Uchimura said Saturday.
Sunday’s competition will feature teams from Japan, the United States, Russia and China, and is the first major international sporting event in the Japanese capital since Tokyo 2020 was postponed in March.
“For the sake of the Olympics, I think this competition must be successful no matter what,” Uchimura told reporters.
“I think we can make it become a model for good Olympics by reporting neither infected patients nor injuries,” said “King Kohei”, a three-time Olympic gold medallist.
The gymnastics meet comes with Tokyo 2020 and Japanese government officials poring over plans for coronavirus countermeasures in a bid to show they can host next year’s Games even if a vaccine is not available or widely in use.
Japan Sports Agency chief Koji Murofushi has described the one-day event as a “litmus test” of its ability to hold sports events during the pandemic. According to Uchimura, anti-virus measures taken by gymnastic organisers are “more than sufficient”.
An international gymnastics competition in Tokyo must succeed with thorough measures against coronavirus infections as “a model” for the delayed Olympic Games, star athlete Kohei Uchimura said Saturday.
Sunday’s competition will feature teams from Japan, the United States, Russia and China, and is the first major international sporting event in the Japanese capital since Tokyo 2020 was postponed in March.
“For the sake of the Olympics, I think this competition must be successful no matter what,” Uchimura told reporters.
“I think we can make it become a model for good Olympics by reporting neither infected patients nor injuries,” said “King Kohei”, a three-time Olympic gold medallist.
The gymnastics meet comes with Tokyo 2020 and Japanese government officials poring over plans for coronavirus countermeasures in a bid to show they can host next year’s Games even if a vaccine is not available or widely in use.
Japan Sports Agency chief Koji Murofushi has described the one-day event as a “litmus test” of its ability to hold sports events during the pandemic. According to Uchimura, anti-virus measures taken by gymnastic organisers are “more than sufficient”.
