Latest International Olympic Committee News
IOC's Thomas Bach cancels Japan trip because of virus cases
TOKYO (AP) — IOC President Thomas Bach has canceled a trip to Japan because of surging cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said Monday in a statement. Bach was to visit Hiroshima next Monday and meet the torch relay and then probably...
Two Tokyo Olympics: Inside and outside the National Stadium
TOKYO (AP) — Seated inside Tokyo's new $1.4 billion National Stadium, Sebastian Coe again tried to reassure athletes and skeptical residents of Japan that the postponed Olympics will be safe when they open in just under 11 weeks. An IOC member and two-time Olympic gold...
Packed trains, drinking: Japanese impatient over virus steps
TOKYO (AP) — Trains packed with commuters returning to work after a weeklong national holiday. Frustrated young people drinking in the streets because bars are closed. Protests planned over a possible visit by the Olympics chief. As the coronavirus spreads in Japan...
Tokyo Olympic head says Bach visit to Japan could be 'tough'
TOKYO (AP) — The president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee said Friday that a visit to Japan this month by IOC President Thomas Bach seemed unlikely with a state of emergency order being extended by the government to Tokyo and other areas until May 31. ...
Pfizer and BioNTech to donate vaccines for Olympic athletes
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Vaccine developers Pfizer and BioNTech will donate doses to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for the Tokyo Olympics, the IOC said Thursday. Delivery of doses is set to begin this month to give Olympic delegations time to be fully...
Anti-Olympic petition gains tens of thousands of signatures
TOKYO (AP) — An online petition calling for the Tokyo Olympics to be canceled has gained tens of thousands of signatures since being launched in Japan only days ago. The rollout of the petition comes with Tokyo, Osaka and several other areas under a state of emergency...
Olympic torch relay detour; diving test event opens in Tokyo
TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics torch relay will take another detour this weekend when it enters the southern island of Okinawa. A leg of the relay on Okinawa's resort island of Miyakojima set for Sunday has been canceled altogether with coronavirus cases surging in...
More tests and still more questions about the Tokyo Olympics
TOKYO (AP) — The Tokyo Olympics open in under three months and there are still more questions than answers despite the rollout Wednesday of new rule books to explain how the games will take place in the middle of a surging pandemic in Japan. The 60-page, second version...
More tests, no quarantine in updated Tokyo Olympic rules
TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo Olympic organizers and the IOC are to unveil new plans this week to explain how 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes can compete in Japan when the games open in three months in the midst of a pandemic. The rollout of the second edition of the...
EXPLAINER: What does Japan's virus state of emergency mean
TOKYO (AP) — Japan on Friday declared a state of emergency to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence, the third since the pandemic began. The measures in parts of Japan, including Tokyo, have so far failed to curb infections caused by a more contagious new variant of the virus. ...
