MADRID, 9 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has published on Tuesday a guide of health and safety measures aimed at athletes who will participate in the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be played this summer after the postponement in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, In which it does not require a quarantine before the trip but does require a plan of activities for the previous 14 days.
In the so-called ‘Playbooks’, prepared together with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the international body describes the “responsibilities and rules” that all participants in the Olympic event must follow, starting with “14 days before the trip”, as well as “at the entrance to Japan, during the Games and at the exit”. All this to ensure that “athletes and people in Tokyo and Japan are safe and healthy this summer.”
Thus, the IOC urged participants to “lead by example by following these rules in their daily activities”. The guidelines have been prepared by a working group made up of the two committees, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Government of Japan and the Government of Tokyo.
The guide does not require quarantine before traveling – depending on the country of origin, it may be required – but it does require a detailed plan of activities where all movements of the athlete are recorded 14 days after entering Japan. In addition, it should include, among other information, where you will stay or with whom you plan to have close contact – roommates, trainers, physiotherapists …-.
On arrival, they must present a negative PCR carried out at least 72 hours before the trip -although it may be subjected to another test as soon as they land-, and they will also have to download a Japanese government tracking app, in which they will be obliged to report of any symptoms that they suffer; in case they need to undergo a test, it will be done in the medical area of the Olympic Village.
They will also be tested every four days, although the frequency could vary depending on the sport. If a close contact tests positive, they will be notified with a notification through the mobile application and will be subjected to a test to see if they have been infected.
Regarding the interactions in the Olympic Village, the organism advises “to reduce them to a minimum”, as well as to avoid shaking hands, keep a meter of distance between people, avoid closed spaces and use the transport enabled by the organization. They will not be able to visit shops during their stay.
In addition, ask the athletes not to share objects, to wash their hands frequently, to cough or sneeze with the mask on, to ventilate the common spaces every 30 minutes and to support the other participants “by clapping, not shouting or singing “.
