TOKYO (AFP) – Tokyo this weekend hosts an international gymnastics competition described as a “litmus test” of its ability to hold sports events during the pandemic, less than a year before the virus-delayed Olympics.
The friendly tournament on Sunday will feature teams from Japan, the United States, Russia and China, and is the first international sporting event in the Japanese capital since Tokyo 2020 was postponed in March.
Sports officials at home and abroad will be watching closely, especially after a false positive coronavirus test for Japan’s top Olympic star Kohei Uchimura rattled nerves in the run-up to the event.
‘King Kohei’, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, tested positive for the virus last week, but several subsequent follow-up tests were negative and he has been cleared to take part in Sunday’s event.
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.
Foreign athletes arriving for the competition were required to test negative for the coronavirus within 72 hours of their arrival in Japan, but have had a two-week quarantine period waived.
They travelled to Japan by charter planes and were separated from other passengers at the airport on arrival, Japanese media reported.
